


What Happens In Vegas

by ThoughtsInMyMind



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Best Friends, Character Development, Childhood Friends, Cussing, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Drinking to Cope, Drunk Sex, Eventual Happy Ending, Exes, F/M, Falling In Love, Fate, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Foster Care, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gambling, Getting to Know Each Other, Happy Ending, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Just Married, Las Vegas Wedding, Lighthouses, Love Confessions, Meant To Be, Misunderstandings, Pregnancy, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship, Romantic Gestures, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Unplanned Pregnancy, What Happens In Vegas AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:15:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 35
Words: 145,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24612130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThoughtsInMyMind/pseuds/ThoughtsInMyMind
Summary: Ben and Rey meet by chance in Sin City and have an instant connection. They wake up the next morning married. They spend the next six months learning about each other and much, much more..."Thanks again for bringing me along for your friends' special night," she said to Poe. "What are you talking about, beautiful?" he asked her. "Oh silly, you remember, last night with these two." She pointed between Ben and Rey. "Uh… she's not my girlfriend," Ben tried to correct her. "Well of course not anymore, sweetie," she nudged Ben's arm. "She's your wife. You're married now."
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 198
Kudos: 209





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I do not own Star Wars, the original idea of these characters and the universe they live in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi, new person here on AO3. I've been meaning to make an account and add my stuff here since I have an active fanfiction.net account. Better late than never, right?
> 
> Anyway, here's a story I wrote for the Reylo fandom. This is loosely inspired by some events from the movie of the same name, "What Happens in Vegas." I took the main plot of the film, twisted it to my own story and sprinkled a few good quotes from it in mine. If you've seen the movie, they hate each other the entire time. This is not like that. This is about two people falling in love. I already published and completed this on ff so I'll be updating probably every day here.
> 
> If you stay with me 'til the end, I hope you enjoy the story. As always, thanks for reading!
> 
> (The few lines in bold in the beginning is from the movie 'Just Friends.' Rey's watching the final scene.)

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Moodboard created by [beybex](https://archiveofourown.org/users/beybex)

* * *

**~I. Introductions~**

_**~i. Meet Rey~** _

**_“I haven't been a very good friend to you and I'm sorry, okay? I just... the truth is I'm-I'm afraid to be your friend 'cause I'm always gonna want more. But then I got to thinking that-that I'd rather have you in my life as a friend than not at all. You know what? That's a lie too.”_ **

**_“Why are you back here?”_ **

**_“Because I want to take you on a date. And I don't care if it's in the day or at night or whenever, as long as it's a real date. And I want to tell you how beautiful I think you are inside and out. And I want to have babies with you and I want to marry you and I love you. Jamie, I always have.”_ **

“Liar!”

Rey threw a handful of popcorn towards the television screen. She grabbed another bunch and stuffed her mouth in between sobs.

“You’re going to leave her when she gets boring and old and you want a pretty young thing around!”

She continued to curse at the screen while the two main characters kissed, rolling to the credits.

“It’s all a lie. True love doesn’t happen that easy!” she sobbed before taking a generous gulp of a bottle of sauvignon blanc, foregoing the wine glasses meant to pour them in.

Her best friend emerged from the kitchen, a fresh batch of popcorn in a bowl, sighing at the view in front of her. Rey had been sulking on the couch ever since she arrived a few weeks ago, still devastated about her broken engagement.

“So… I let her into my home with open arms and this is what happens… a crying best friend and a floor full of popcorn,” Her best friend said sarcastically to herself.

She noticed the empty bottle on the coffee table.

“Girl, did you finish all the wine?!”

“No amount of wine can numb my pain,” Rey spewed pathetically.

“Oh my god, Rey. It’s been two weeks. You’ve got to get over him, he’s not worth it!” her best friend, Rose exclaimed.

“I was with Hobbie for three years, I think two weeks is permittable given my predicament,” Rey sobbed. “I was supposed to be Mrs. Derek Klivian in six months!”

“Well, to hell with him!” the petite woman held her friend in her arms, comforting her as best she could. “He’s an idiot anyways if he didn’t see what he had right in front of him. Honestly, we never liked him for you. You deserved so much more, hon.”

“If he’s an idiot then I’m someone who fell for an idiot. A bloody joke,” she quivered her lips.

“No, you’re someone who was trying to find the good in him. And that’s sweet of you but not everyone has the light inside of them. Especially Hobbie. He’s a total jerk.”

Rey grumbled as she sat up, wiping her mascara stained tears off her face as best she could. “No, actually,” she sniffed. “He was perfect. Had a successful job, came from a great family. Super smart. I didn’t deserve him.”

“But you weren’t yourself when you were with him. You weren’t happy.”

“It’s because I was never enough! I’m never good enough for any man.”

“Now why would you say that?!” Rose pulled her into another embrace, caressing her friend’s untamed hair. “Don’t blow your self-esteem for him. You’re a catch!”

“No, I’m not. I’m a hot mess!”

“Well you called yourself ‘hot’, so I guess that’s a start,” she managed to get a light chuckle from her grief-stricken friend. “There we go, laughing! We’re getting somewhere. Hey, do you want me to get Finn and Poe to show up at his place and junk punch him?”

This time Rey actually laughed. “No, that won’t be necessary… yet.”

Her friend had been in tears over this jerk of a man for weeks, immediately leaving his apartment after he dumped her and showed up at her doorstep with a couple suitcases and a face of pure heartbreak. Rose was a true friend, her longest known friend in fact, letting Rey stay with her and helping the fragmented soul deal with what to do next, but she still didn’t know if her support was enough to mend Rey’s broken heart. She was desperate to see her friend happy again.

“Come on. Get up, get dressed. We’re going out,” she ordered.

“Rose, I’m not really in the best state to go out,” Rey pathetically shrugged her arms, acknowledging her sloppy appearance.

“That’s exactly why we’re going out!” Rose exclaimed “Do you want Hobbie to know that you’re crying a freaking ocean for him when he’s probably nose-deep in the most boring deposition sipping his $90 whiskey and not even thinking twice about leaving you?”

Rose got her to think about it.

“N-no? Although he did have impeccable taste in whiskey.”

“Hey lady, focus!” Rose snapped her fingers at her face. “No! Don’t give him the upper hand! Now we are going to get all dressed up and go to Poe’s bar with Finn and sing some Pat Benatar until they kick us out for being so off cue and drunk off our asses! Well, not really since our best friend owns the bar and I doubt he’ll ever kick us out.”

Rey was still apprehensive. She didn’t think she’d ever feel some kind of happiness again, or something to fill this deep void in the pit of her stomach. This man she had devoted three years, altered her life and promised her future to had ripped apart ever shed of her dignity. She had loved him unconditionally, changed her life for him, but just like everyone in her past, he left. She wasn’t sure if the pain of losing someone she thought she loved was worse than once again being abandoned by someone who told her they cared. But one look at herself in the reflection of her friend’s glass coffee table - puffy red eyes, makeup and hair in absolute chaos - she decided no more tears for this man. He didn’t get to have the advantage of feeling less broken from this split. He didn’t deserve to win. She puffed her chest, patted Rose’s hand and sat up a little straighter. With a crooked smile she replied.

“Ms. Benatar awaits.”

**_~ii. Meet Ben~_ **

“I can’t believe your dad actually fired you,” a redheaded man said. He sipped his beer in disbelief.

“He got drunk for the third time this month at work, so I’m sure that’s grounds for suspension,” a taller woman who was playing pool with the redhead answered. “You really need to get your act together, Ben. You can’t still be this reckless at this point in your life. We’re not in college anymore.”

“Augh, it’s for the better anyway,” he scoffed. “My old man didn’t want me working for him. He’s the coldest guy I ever met!” Ben grunted, leaning back on his stool while watching his friends play.

“Are you kidding me? Han bragged about you every time I went to those parties with you and Hux,” his female friend replied.

“Well he did a pretty shitty way of showing me he cared. Always on my case to do shit! Never letting me fly a damn plane the six years I worked for him!”

“I think you’d need a license for that first,” she retorted.

“In order for him to get a license, he needs to finish pilot school, babe,” his two friends laughed.

“I tried to do it, but every time my dad always found a way to keep me from getting my actual license!” Ben yelled. “It’s like he wanted me to fail on purpose!”

“I don’t think you getting hammered and coming in drunk to one of your tests had anything to do with your dad.”

“It was just the written test! Not like I was going to actually get drunk before flying a plane,” he scoffed.

He downed his beer and went to the fridge to grab another one, drinking half of it before he even got back to his seat.

“Dude just forget about all of this. It’s a fresh start now. You felt tied down working for your dad? Now you’re free. Find another job, meet a nice girl or something. God knows you need someone to balance you out,” his male friend, Hux said.

“Yeah, easy for you to say, Hux,” he scoffed at the redhead. “You have tenure at the academy.”

“Yeah and Ben can’t find a girl right now,” Phasma explained, “He needs a steady income if he wants to spoil her.”

“Right, like I need to waste my time right now trying to get into a committed relationship. Look at my track record, it’s not my best suit.”

“Like I haven’t heard that excuse before,” his male friend rolled his eyes.

“Ben we’re the same age. Hux and I don’t feel like we’re weighing each other down. Admit it, you just don’t want to be in a commitment. You don’t want that responsibility. Maybe that’s why your dad fired you.”

“Hey now,” Ben warned her.

“Look, I’m just saying… At some point you got to grow up. Whether it’s your dad or your love life. And don’t even think about mentioning Baz because she’s a heartless witch who strung you along for five years only to take advantage of you.”

“She didn’t take advantage of me the whole time…”

“It was long enough.”

“Well I don’t have a job, or a girlfriend, or a freaking pilot’s license. I’m kind of at a slump here!”

“Well do something then because Phas and I are getting tired of you complaining about your dad, or Baz or whatever girl. Oh, and you’re drinking all my beer!”

“I have not been complaining that much!”

“Ben, you’ve come over every night this week and it’s all the same. We play pool, you complain about your dad, you talk about how much you miss sex, you drink all his beer. Man up,” Phasma said.

“Or get laid. Maybe that will calm you down,” Hux joked. “It’s been a dry spell for you. I’m sure you can get this sexual tension fixed by some little minx you can pick up at a bar. Just please not Baz.”

“Oh piss off,” he scoffed, polishing his fourth bottle of the night.

His two friends sighed, pausing their game of billiards to walk over to him.

“Look, Ben. We don’t mind you letting off steam. Hell, I was mad when I got fired from Taco Bell back in college and you and Hux helped me out before I got back on my feet. Sure, your dad of all people kicked you, it could be worse. But it’s not. You’re 30 years old, not 50. You’ve got plenty of time to decide what you want to do. You’ve got a roof over your head, some money saved up. Your love life, though may be complicated since your skank of an ex won’t leave you alone, is still hopeful. And you’ve got two amazing friends if I may add,” she winked at her boyfriend before continuing. “So just take it easy for a while. When you’re ready to get whatever it is out of your system and find a new job or start dating again or move to a new place or whatever you want, we’ll be here.”

Gwen Phasma was Ben’s only true female friend. He had a tough interior – guarded, introverted, and private. His exterior didn’t make it any easier to show friendliness – broad shoulders, standing at 6 foot 2, and a disciplined face. Making friends with women was not easy, although hooking up with them was another story. He was a bit of a lady’s man, he’ll admit, but didn’t sleep around as much as one would think. He had a very unhealthy relationship with a woman who wanted him for things other than his personality and that didn’t make it any easier to influence Ben’s recklessness.

But Phasma was a unique girl that Ben had met in college. She was brought up as an army brat and was as strict as she looked. She wasn’t afraid of Ben and when she decked a guy at a bar for hitting on her, Ben knew he could be friends with this person of the opposite sex easily. She was as close to a sister as he got. Fast forward a couple weeks he had a roommate, Armitage Hux, who eventually became his best guy friend as they shared similar interests. Hux and Phasma got together before they all graduated, happy to see his two friends find love in one another. He owed it to them for keeping him sane when he started working for his dad. Also, when stuff went down with his crazy ex. He had always wanted to work for his dad, but in his early 20’s he and his father had grown to bicker almost all the time. Nevertheless, fresh out of college he needed a job, so he took whatever his dad gave him. But obviously that didn’t last since he was now unemployed for the first time in almost seven years.

Ben went for another bottle after listening to what Phasma had said. She was right. As much as he hated to admit it. He needed to grow up. But something she said struck him. He needed to get this recklessness out of his system. He needed a break. He deserved one more night of fun before he had to face the music and grow up. At the last minute deciding against another beer, he shut the refrigerator door and headed back to his friends.

“Hux, let me make it up to you for drinking all your beer.”

“I mean it’s only right,” his friend snickered. “It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day and what kind of Irishman would I be without a stocked fridge?! We can stop by the convenience store tomorrow.”

“No,” he smiled at his two friends. They were a bit confused. Ben hadn’t smiled in a week. “I mean, let’s go somewhere.”

“Like where, to a bar?”

“No… Let’s go to _Vegas_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Planning a Vacation
> 
> "Hey, even the working man needs a break!" Poe retorted... "Oh I know! Let's go to Vegas! There's plenty of alcohol there."
> 
> "Oooh Sin City. Sounds like the perfect place to go crazy!" Rose clapped.
> 
> "What do you say, Rey?" Finn asked, her three friends waiting for her response.
> 
> "I've never been to Vegas..." she was hesitant... "Oh what the hell, let's do it!"


	2. Planning A Vacation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm basically copy and pasting my A/N's from ff here, but I noticed some of them are irrelevant now lol 
> 
> I do want to point out here that I was going back and forth with the rating (T or M). If you've seen the movie they get drunk, hook up and wind up married. That's a part of this story, but there are no explicit chapters (suggestive thoughts/descriptions and friends making fun of them, but that's as far as I go). Also, they're adults and adults curse so that's another factor, but it's not f-bomb every other word. I thought it wasn't too mature seeing as this is also a humorous story, so it stays at T. If you guys think I need to change it to M let me know.

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**~II. Planning a Vacation~**

"Here's to Rose! For managing to drag out the lovely Rey for a night of fun!" the charming bartender declared. He raised his shot glass among three others.

"To Rose!" they all cheered before downing the clear burning liquid.

"Seriously, Peanut. We're really happy you came out tonight," Finn, Rose's boyfriend said. He hugged her tight and ruffled her hair.

"Yeah, we were about ready to barge into Rose's apartment and do whatever means necessary for you to get some sunshine on your skin," Poe, their bartender friend joked. "And believe me, we had a blow torch and chainsaw at the ready!"

"I didn't barricade myself off too much did I?" Rey didn't believe Poe's exaggeration.

"No, it was serious. You practically turned my living room into a fortress of solitude!" Rose shared. "But that's okay, I still love you, girl."

"I know, I'm sorry for my behavior the past few weeks," she frowned.

"It's fine, Rey," Finn said. "We all heal in different ways."

"Thanks. I mean... Hob was my first serious relationship and…" her bottom lip began to tremor.

"Oh no, no, no!" all three of her friends yelped, grabbing on and shaking her.

"Don't go there!" Rose practically demanded.

"Why can't I mope about this? I was with him for three years? Don't I get more than two weeks to cope?" Rey whined.

They meant well, they really did. Finn was right, people healed at their own pace. But despite three years with the guy, Rey's friends didn't think he deserved even a day of grievance. He was wrong for her, they mentioned it to Rey a hundred times.

"Honey this night is all about being around friends and alcohol and good company. None of this ex-boyfriend talk!" Rose reminded her of their agreement to go out.

Rey begrudgingly bowed.

"Well technically it's ex-fiancé," Finn was mumbling to Poe across the bar quietly. Rose heard it anyways and proceeded to shoot daggers towards the men.

"None of that! We are going to have a good time tonight. Rey is here and we're all going to have fun. Now, let's get more alcohol in this woman stat!"

"You know, alcohol ain't cheap," Poe said before pouring more drinks.

"Yeah but when you're friends with the guy who owns the place, it's as cheap as we want it to be," Finn boasted. He merrily handed the girls their next round of shots.

"I'll drink to that!" Rose cheered.

Poe rolled his eyes, guffawing as he joined his friends for another drink.

Rey Andor didn't have a good start in life. A foster child, she was abandoned at a fire station when she was barely eight months old. After getting tossed from orphanage to orphanage, she wasn't adopted until the age of 13. Unfortunately, her parents - two decorated war heroes and special forces – lost their lives just after her 18th birthday during a dangerous mission. She cherished those 5 years of being part of a family and promised herself to someday start a new family in the future. Going from shelter to shelter, she never knew what her future held. She hoped to one day be able to control her own destiny; forge her own path, plan every detail, and ultimately find happiness. She had grown up in London, where she was born and where her parents were stationed, but after their passing she needed a change of scenery. So, she moved across the ocean to Los Angeles. She got into UCLA on a double major for social work and communications. There she met Finn and Rose, high school sweethearts, two of the nicest people she's ever met. Rose became the closest thing to a sister for Rey, their friendship very special. And Finn, her constant rock, someone she trusted her life with. They became a trio of inseparable friends; eventually meeting Poe, a local bar owner who helped Finn out in a fight that was clearly the drunk guy's fault. Poe acted as their big brother as he was a few years older and the family Rey made for herself grew by one more.

Rey had started dating Derek "Hobbie" Klivian during her senior year of college. He was a graduate assistant in her communications class and after the semester ended, they became an official couple. He was the perfect man on paper – strong mindset, stable career, esteemed family background. He was too good to be true. He took her to lavish restaurants, showered her with jewelry (even though she wasn't one for the shiny trinkets), and took great care of Rey in their initial 'honeymoon' stage of dating. No one had ever taken an interest in her that way. It was comforting. She dreamed of one day starting a family with him and thought that he would make all her wishes come true. Though Rose was right about one thing. When Rey and Derek became serious, the sweet gentleman that had courted her turned out to be a demanding, arrogant fellow. He transformed Rey's already kind and giving personality to one of service and appropriateness, turned his interests into hers, and controlled her future. This was Rey's first real relationship, so she gave in, submitted to all his wishes. She was blinded by what he had to offer her – a solid future. Her friends were quick to see that she had become a completely different person - not herself. They just hoped that Rey would one day wake up and see that Derek Klivian was not her future. He wouldn't give her that happily ever after she'd always dreamed of. Indubitably, it didn't work out and while they were happy that she had split with him, they were immediately devastated to learn that he was the one to break it off also, manipulating her into believing she was in the wrong and tossed her away without a second thought.

A couple more drinks in her and Rey finally started feeling numb - exactly what she wanted. As promised, she and Rose belted out a handful of 80's power ballads, for the most part in tune. Finn and Poe hung around the bar enjoying their comical actions and making sure their delicate friend was consuming a good balance of alcohol and nachos (Rey's drunk food of choice). After a sloppy rendition of "Love Is A Battlefield", the girls giggled their way back to the bar.

"Ya know whaaat," Rey slurred as she clumsily slammed into her bar stool. Rose sat on her boyfriend Finn's lap steadying her tipsy friend. Poe laughed inwardly, sliding a glass of ginger ale for Rey to hopefully wash some alcohol out of her system. They really did take care of her.

"What Peanut?" Finn asked, the three friends amused by her conduct.

"Ya know Hobbie would say-"

"Oh no Rey!" Poe warned her, as the rule of the night was to not talk about him.

"No, no. Here me out," she waved at her friends.

"Fine, drink your ginger ale and eat something first. Then talk," Finn negotiated.

Rey rolled her eyes and complied, sipping her beverage and crunching on a handful of greasy chips.

"Happy?" she showed them how she cooperated. "I'm not that drunk, promise," she said a bit clearer, prompting them to laugh.

"Alright, what is it, kiddo?" Poe motioned for her to continue.

"As I was saying," she cleared her throat. "Hobbie always said that I took things too seriously. That I played it safe."

"Wow that's rich coming from the guy with a silver spoon in his mouth. He practically reeked of his parent's snotty money and upbringing!" Rose spat. "He was the one who forced you to 'play it safe'."

"And you did not start to become overly-serious until you met that guy!" Finn added.

"Yeah, he's the dull one," Poe sneered.

"I know but that's not the point," she dismissed their remarks.

"And hon, you weren't that 'serious' or 'safe' until you met him. I mean you're a nice girl, but you still knew how to have fun. He turned you into his own personal drone," Rose scoffed.

"Maybe. But maybe he isn't entirely wrong."

Her friends exchanged muddled looks.

"What are you talking about?" Rose probed her best friend's response.

"Sure, I'm not uptight but I did play it safe," Rey explained. "I mean, I went through my entire childhood as an orphan. Once I found Cassian and Jyn I became a good girl. Hobbie just encouraged a more 'clean cut' life for me."

"You better be getting somewhere with this because I'm about two seconds away from going with Poe to his apartment and junk punch him," Finn griped.

"Oh my gosh I said the same thing to her!" Rose squealed to her boyfriend. The couple giggled and stole a quick peck on the lips.

"Hey, hey! Have some respect!" Poe slapped a bar towel at the couple. "Don't be all lovey in front of Rey. Can't you see the woman is hurting?!"

"No, it's okay," Rey laughed. It felt good to laugh.

She couldn't be jealous of Finn and Rose. They were practically a married couple for as long as they've been together and for as long as she'd known them. She wondered when Finn would pop the question already.

"Alright sorry back to you Peanut," Finn offered.

"Right… so I had a lot more to say but to save anyone's private parts from getting assaulted tonight, it comes down to the notion that for once I want to do something wild and spontaneous," she declared.

"Like what, get a tramp stamp of your favorite boy band?" Finn snorted, directing his reference at a particular bartender.

Poe's cheeks were painted red. "I was 18 you guys!" he defended himself, but the three friends pestered anyway.

One of the first times the four of them went out together, Poe had shared the dumbest thing he's ever done. When he turned 18 during his senior year of high school, his buddies dared him to get a tattoo. Poe, never backing down from a dare and feeling this newfound confidence as an official adult, woke up the next morning with a permanent scar on his skin. One that was revealed on a rather unforgiving spot on his lower back.

"And Nine Inch Nails is fucking awesome!"

"Oh no, no, I'm not as brave as Poe you guys," Rey clowned at him. He tossed slices of limes at them to cease their mocking and settle down. When they did, Rey continued. "What I meant was that I was thinking about how much I loved coming out tonight. Thanks for dragging me out Rose, I seriously needed this," she nudged her best girl friend on the shoulder. "And before I have to get back to my busy life on Monday, I was thinking maybe… we can all take a trip?"

"I'm in, I need a vacation," Poe immediately agreed.

"And how is owning a bar, the most popular one on the pier I may add, a taxing job?" Finn asked incredulously. "You have so much profit I'm surprised you're not opening another one in Beverly Hills or Hollywood. You don't even need to bar tend AND you give us free drinks!"

"Hey, even the working man needs a break!" Poe retorted. "And sure, maybe for just one weekend I don't want to see 10 percent of my alcohol inventory going towards my empty-wallet best friends!" he joked. Everyone laughed. He had a point. "Oh I know! Let's go to Vegas! There's plenty of alcohol there."

"Oooh Sin City. Sounds like the perfect place to go crazy!" Rose clapped.

"I'm down, I haven't been there since my cousin's bachelor party two years ago," Finn agreed.

"I bet I could score us a sweet deal at a hotel!" Poe suggested.

"What do you say, Rey?" Finn asked, her three friends awaiting her response.

"I've never been to Vegas…" she was hesitant.

Rey recalled the many stories she's heard of the fabled Las Vegas. Hearing stories that her classmates in college had said about their blackout drunk weekends made her a bit wishy-washy about ever stepping foot there. Was it really that brutish of a town to be nicknamed 'Sin City'? But, she thought, if she wanted to have a wild off the books weekend, what better place, right?

"What the hell, let's do it!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Double Booked
> 
> "Drop it thief!"
> 
> "I think there's been a misunderstanding."
> 
> "Yes, you chose the wrong room to steal from."
> 
> "No, no. I swear I'm not a thief. I booked this room."
> 
> "No. I did."
> 
> "No, honestly. They may have glitched the system. Please you got to believe me!"


	3. Double Booked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Wanted to make a note... this is a slow burn Reylo story. These beginning chapters won't be as eventful since I'm introducing everything, but I promise it'll eventually pick up. Not every chapter I wrote is a major plot point - though the sub plots in a given chapter tie in to the main story in one way or another. Anyway, here's a little bit of humor to add to the story :)

* * *

**~III. Double Booked~**

After packing their bags that Friday morning, the four friends settled into Finn's Range Rover and made the five-hour journey to Las Vegas. It was a good thing Poe knew someone in almost every town. Not only that, he was a man of natural charm and always found a means to smooth talk his way into anything as well as get out of messy situations. This was how he managed to snag a nice two-bedroom suite at the Grand Hilton Hotel, the center of the Las Vegas strip, a very difficult reservation to make at the last minute.

"Yeah okay, Poe, you're officially the king," Finn bowed to his friend as they made their way into the impressive lobby.

"What can I say, I'm a well-rounded man," he humbly bragged.

While Poe went up to the desk to check in and grab their room keys, Rose, Finn and Rey were ogling at a pamphlet of the many amenities the hotel had to offer, wondering if they even needed to step foot outside of this building to experience a fun weekend.

"Papa's got keys to the junior executive suite!" Poe announced.

Their friend did not do the hotel justice. Sure, he had described it to the group on their drive over: the numerous facilities, the soft beds, and the proximity to everything. But one look at the suite they booked for the weekend and it felt like they were in wonderland. Not only did he manage to score a two-bedroom suite, but he got the city skyline view as well, making their room all the more stunning. The girls squealed, running around the place and checking out every square inch of the suite, even the coat closet, while the guys found complimentary beers stocked in the refrigerator (they all knew Poe charmed his way for free drinks).

Finn and Poe decided to hit the gym before the start of their festivities that night. They set their bags down and waved the girls goodbye. Rose brought her bag into one of the rooms, obviously because Finn and she were a couple. Rey had told Poe that she would take the sofa bed since he got them the room and as much as Poe wanted to argue, she did not let him change her mind. She reminded her friends that the only way she would agree to come on the trip is if they didn't pity her about her break up with Hobbie. Rose announced that she would take a quick shower while Rey opted to relax out in the suite's balcony before having to get ready for their evening of festivities. She put some earbuds on and listened to some relaxing music, shutting her eyes and taking a chance to unwind, knowing quite well that her friends would want to paint the town crimson that night.

~.~.~.~

While Ben had just been fired from his father's business, he wasn't in any bad terms with his mother. He had asked her, a well-respected businesswoman, if she could find a last-minute hotel stay for him and his friends in Las Vegas that weekend. She had to pull a few strings but ultimately found a resort that offered her son some hospitality. She was aware of the tension between her husband and son and after he had requested that favor, she thought it would be a good idea for Ben to have a chance to clear his mind after the whole fiasco. While she frowned upon some of the reckless choices he's made in the past, nevertheless she always had a loving bond with her only child.

Arriving at the Grand Hilton Hotel, he and his friends were reserved a luxurious junior executive suite, a two-bedroom with a view. Upon reaching their floor and entering their temporary home for their stay, they dropped their bags and let out a contented sigh. It was finally time to wind down.

Phasma had mentioned that she forgot to bring a toothbrush so she and Hux left to go back downstairs to the front desk to fetch some amenities. Ben decided it would be a good idea to take a power nap before he and his friends would get crazy drunk that evening and proceeded to one of the bedrooms. He was surprised, however, to see a duffel bag sitting on the bed upon entering the empty space. He peered outside of the door to see that Phasma and Hux still had their luggage chucked next to the coat closet. Wondering whose belongings were on the bed, he carefully investigated - not even noticing that the bathroom was obviously occupied with the shower running or even hearing the balcony door slide open. Ben noticed a phone was plugged in to the nightstand outlet and walked over to pick it up. Curious of the whole situation, he hoped to find out who the owner of the belongings was so they could sort out this matter.

In an instant, he heard a voice shriek behind him.

"Drop it thief!"

Ben shot his head around and was met face to face with a startled woman, holding what looked like a brass stoker from the fireplace in the living room. Instinctively he raised his arms up, trying to show no harm. But he couldn't seem to find any words of retort. He was momentarily taken aback by this woman. A beautiful one, he immediately noticed, who was keen on impaling his body with that metal stick.

"W-what?" was all he could muster.

"I said drop it. Drop the phone," she said with daggering eyes.

He quickly tossed the device onto the bed between them, showing cooperation and that he meant no harm. Although she did look like she could take him down, he couldn't help but be entranced with her eyes; those beautiful hazel orbs staring into his soul. He was somewhat delighted that she was staring at him at all.

"I think there's been a misunderstanding," he finally found his words.

"Yes, you chose the wrong room to steal from."

"No, no. I swear I'm not a thief. I booked this room."

"No, I did."

"No, honestly. They may have glitched the system. I was just wondering why there was a bag in the room. Please you got to believe me." His own eyes begged her to trust him.

Truth be told, it was getting hard for Rey to keep up her façade. When she had heard a faint noise of a door shutting, she took off her earbuds and had noticed a tall figure wandering into Rose's room. Knowing Finn and Poe were still downstairs since she got a text moments before that had mentioned they were grabbing smoothies before coming back up, she deduced that it was a stranger. She instantly panicked. But that lasted all of two seconds as Rey knew that she was the only one who could defend herself and Rose from this prowler. Carefully sneaking back inside, she grabbed the first thing she could use as a weapon - one of the tools for the fireplace. The sharp pointy one, she decided. As she crept up to the intruder who was discreetly looking at Rose's phone, she mustered up her scariest voice and barked loudly.

Rey expected to come face to face with a pathetic slime, but instead was met with alluring brown eyes and an indescribable aura surrounding them. She couldn't deny that the man was practically a human Adonis, but she quickly brushed that aside, not even sure if this god of a man was in fact trying to steal from or harm her. But when he described this as a bit of a mix up, something in his eyes put her in a stupor. Her gut was screaming, and her walls were lowering. The way he was looking at her, she had no other thought but to actually believe him. So, she lowered her weapon of defense, hoping that trusting this man would be the right decision.

"See, yeah. Now we're being civil," he sighed in relief, finally lowering his arms.

"I'm sorry. Instincts," she replied.

"Look, I'm really sorry for this. I don't mean to ruin your weekend. I'm here with friends too and we're all just looking for a good time, right?"

"You can say that," Rey said, leaning her body against the doorframe, still wondering if she can trust this guy.

"Right, so why don't we go downstairs and see if we can fix this little mix-up. Truce?" he held out his hand, hoping to reach an understanding with this woman.

Although it wasn't the most ideal situation to meet such an attractive woman who most likely wouldn't even give him a chance after this whole ordeal, Ben wanted to put good karma out in the world because he really needed to catch a break this weekend.

Rey thought about it for a second. He didn't know that the rooms were double booked. It's not like he was being a perv and digging for Rose's panties or anything. If she were in his situation she'd be thought of as an intruder too. And Mr. Demi-god was a thing of beauty, not really helping her think defensively. She shrugged her shoulders and stepped forward, offering her hand to shake his.

Before their fingers even touched, the door to the bathroom swung open, with a towel clad Rose stepping out.

"Oh my gosh, Rey. You've _got_ to try the shower. The soap smells so g- WHAAAAAAHHH!" Rose screamed when she saw the stranger standing next to her.

In an instant Ben recoiled and pulled his arms back up protectively, as he was once more met by a startled woman.

"No, no, no wait, I can explain!" he pleaded when Rose started swing her arms sporadically. Since she was blocking the only path to get around and out of the room, Ben had no choice but to jump on the bed to get as far away from the screaming woman as possible.

"Rose, no he's-" Rey stepped in immediately and tried but failed to stop her friend from doing what she did next.

Rose managed to grab her hair straightener from her duffel bag and slug Ben across his left temple, sending him toppling down to the ground, falling towards the door at Rey's feet.

"Rose, stop!" Rey extended her arm at her friend who was still wrapped in a towel with her straightener at bat, hovering over a semi-conscious person and her friend kneeling beside him. "Seriously, he means no harm."

Rose finally stopped, seeing as Rey wasn't freaking out. "Who the hell is he?!"

"The hotel double booked us. He thought this was his room too."

Rose wasn't one to need much detail. Especially coming from Rey, the most honest person she's ever met. If Rey said he was harmless, she believed her, no questions asked.

"Oh, okay," she said, lowering her straightener, as if the situation was resolved. Then she realized what she did and shrugged repentantly. "I'm sorry, mister."

"It's alright. I probably deserved that," he winced, trying to ease the situation.

Rose climbed down from the bed and hurried back to the bathroom to put on some clothes. Rey knelt closer to the stranger and tried to help the man sit up.

"Sorry about her. She played softball in high school," she said to him.

"That explains the swing," he chuckled.

He was stable enough to sit up, though he still clutched his left temple, trying to delay the spreading agony.

"I'm Ben, by the way." He smiled a bit before wincing in pain. But that small smile was enough for her cheeks to color.

"I'm Rey," she smiled back.

If there was anything he got out of this moment it was getting to see the beautiful woman in front of him smile. It had barely been an hour into his weekend, but he decided this trip was already worth it.

"Let's get you some ice for that, shall we?"

He nodded in agreement as she helped him to his feet. He noticed first how small of a frame she had. Sure, when they were separated by a few feet and she had stares of death on him she tried to sound bigger than her size, but he didn't realize she'd be this small. It was comforting. She had the same thought as well, as he stood upright, she barely met the bottom of his chin. Yep, she thought. This man is half god.

When Rose emerged and joined Rey and Ben in the living room, they all agreed that it was a hotel mix up. They were about ready to head downstairs to the front desk when the main door had swung open and in stepped Ben's friends. Thoughts of surprise and amusement displayed on their faces as they took sight of their best friend sitting between two good-looking females.

"Uh… Ben, did you call for some entertainment while we were out?" Hux smugly grinned.

Ben blushed, trying desperately to hide it from everyone. For some reason it affected Rey as well and she couldn't get herself to make eye contact with anything but the floor.

"Shut up, dude," Ben hissed. He stood up, following suit by Rey and Rose. "I think there was a mix up in the booking. They reserved this hotel room too."

Phasma, the ever so smart and quick witted one, noticed a bruise on her friend's temple. She pressed her lips tightly trying to contain her humor.

"Okay I think I'm all caught up here. I'm guessing they thought you were a peeping Tom and they knocked you over?"

This made everyone - but Ben - laugh a little.

"If you know it then you don't have to say it!" He gritted his teeth at his other friend.

With the blonde woman's teasing towards Ben, Rey could have sworn those two were a couple - not that it mattered to her. But seeing as she's got her arm around the redhead beside her, a part of Rey was pleased. She had no idea why.

"Um, Hi I'm Rey, this my friend Rose," she gestured.

"Hey Rey. I'm Phasma. This is Hux. We're Ben's friends."

As if on cue, in walked Poe and Finn. They were coming down from a post workout high and refreshing smoothies, have a lively chat between them. That went away instantly when confusion struck once again to the newcomers.

Poe was more relaxed and amused as he always was in situations. He never thought of the worst possible thing, giving people chances to explain themselves. He's seen a lot of happenings at his bar, so nothing really surprised him that much anymore. Finn on the other hand, was a different story.

"Hey guys, what's-" Finn took in his surroundings. He saw two strangers leaning on the kitchen island, then Rey standing next to some guy, who also happened to be standing next to Rose. Even though Ben was standing much closer to Rey, the fact that a strange man was next to his girlfriend flashed a red flag. As soon as he saw this glared at Ben then at a timid Rose and charged towards him. "Who the fuck are you?!" he said lunging forward.

"Oh no," Ben said before meeting this man, falling on the floor, and wrestling to get him off.

"Finn, stop!" Rose cried. Rey attempted to pry Finn off Ben.

"He's fine, we know him," Rey tried to reason with the hot-headed man.

"What the hell is going on?!" Finn demanded. Rey managed to pull him off the stranger before he could do any damage. "Babe are you okay?" He hastily rushed over to hug his girlfriend.

"That's Finn, Rose's overprotective boyfriend," Rey announced, trying to lighten the mood.

Hux and Phasma didn't mind; they were rather amused by it all.

"I'm sorry dude," Finn helped Ben up. "Instincts."

Rey smirked to herself, remembering that she said the same thing to Ben earlier. Best friends really do think alike.

"It's alright," Ben groaned as Rey helped him up. "Wasn't as bad compared to the migraine she gave me."

Finn saw the bruise that he pointed at then looked at his girlfriend, impressed that she had given Ben a battle scar. Rose giggled before scolding him for overreacting.

"Okay, as fun as I loved seeing all of this - and believe me it's one for the books - but what's going on?" Poe finally spoke up, still very entertained from the events that occurred.

"Oh right," Rey decided to settle the confusion. "Long story short, the hotel put us all in the same room."

"When in Vegas, right?" Hux joked. A collective chuckle spread among them.

"We were going to head down to the lobby to clear things up," Rose explained.

"Ahh," Poe, and everyone, was finally on the same page.

"Yeah so this is Poe," Rey gestured to her friend at the door, and then to the others. "And Phasma, Hux and Ben," she introduced everyone in the room.

Suddenly Poe's eyes lit up. "No way, Ben Solo?!"

Until now, Ben wasn't really looking around. To be fair he got smacked in the head and attacked in an aggressive bear hug all within the hour. He wasn't really paying much attention. Though, when someone mentioned his full name he looked up. Instantly he recognized that same person.

"Dameron? Oh shit, Poe!" Ben said as Poe walked towards the man and happily shook his hand.

"I take it you guys know each other?" Finn asked aloud, though it was apparent.

"Yeah, we go way back actually. Since elementary school," Poe said before turning his attention back to Ben. "Dude of all places, I'd see you here! Where do you live now?"

"I moved back home after school. Well sort of. Santa Monica."

"Same man. Dude we got to catch up."

Rose giggled. "Oh man, if only Ben met face to face with Poe. Then we wouldn't have assaulted you. I'm sorry again," she guiltily shrugged at Ben.

"Well as much as we all loved this reunion and getting acquainted," Rey started. "We still have a room situation to sort out."

"Let me handle it, I may be able to sweet talk the receptionist," Poe insisted.

"Always the smooth talker, Dameron," Ben chucked his arm. "No, let me. They'll probably fix it seeing as the room was booked by my mother."

"Look at you, using your connections to get things," Poe was impressed. "I guess all those years hanging around me I've rubbed off on you," Poe ruffled Ben's hair in a playful noogie.

With these boyish antics shared between the grown men, everyone started to believe that the two really did have a long history of friendship

"Who's your mom?" Finn wondered aloud.

"Leia Solo," Phasma answered for him. She knew Ben would beat around the bush as he was never one to brag, but she couldn't help but add to the fun.

"As in Skywalker?! Skywalker Enterprises?!" Rey was flabbergasted.

"Yep. That's the one," Poe confirmed. "I bet your mom is still super hot!"

"Shut up, dude!" Ben grumbled. This made Hux and Phasma laugh.

"Okay, okay. With Ben's connections and my captivating mystique, we'll fix this. Come on, let's all go down to the lobby," Poe announced.

With that the two groups collected their things and headed towards the elevator, hoping to solve this little misunderstanding once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Upgrade
> 
> "Well we've got good news and bad news."
> 
> "Turns out they don't have any more two-bedroom suites to accommodate the second party."
> 
> "So... seven people are sharing one room?"
> 
> "No, no, no, my dear," Poe said. Then he held up a rather shiny key card. "We all get to stay in the PENT. HOUSE. SUITE."


	4. Upgrade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is more of a filler chapter, but still some quality banter between Ben and Poe. Sorry if it's slow, I promise it will pick up soon! Anyway, hope you enjoy...

* * *

**~IV. Upgrade~**

"Alright, we're just going to go up to the receptionist and simply ask her to give us two rooms, sound like a plan?" Ben prepped his old friend as they waited in line once they reached the lobby.

"How boring, pal," Poe said drolly. "Don't worry, I'll handle it."

"Oh no, Dameron! Look I know it's been a while since our last shenanigans, but I really need this trip and I don't want you to mess this up. We don't need any theatrics, it's a simple mishap. They'll fix it for us, easy," Ben laid out the plan once again very clearly.

"I'm so offended that you have no faith in me," Poe feigned upset. "Benjamin, we've been best friends since we were eight. And although it's been a few years, I'm still the same loveable guy," he exuberantly patted Ben's shoulder. "Have I ever steered us wrong?"

"Yes!" Ben cried. "Senior prom you made out with your date in the front seat of the limo and knocked the gear into neutral, almost letting the car drive you guys into the lake. In little league when a fly ball was hit left field that was close to me, you hollered from midfield saying you would catch it, but you and I collided, and we lost the game! Hmm… need me to continue?" he scornfully described.

"Psh. You worry too much. I got this buddy," he elbowed him, dismissing the stroll down memory lane (to which Poe didn't think were bad at all).

They waited just before one other guest for their turn. Ben noticed that the woman behind the desk had a permanent scowl on her face. She probably had to deal with a lot of guests that day. Even more being in Las Vegas - the land of bad choices - she must have had drunk whistle-callers trying to hit on her constantly. It was unquestionable that he was not going to let Poe get this woman who decided their fate for the weekend upset with them. He needed to take over the situation.

When it was their turn to step up to the counter, Poe hopped forward before Ben could get the first word in. _Oh no_ , Ben panicked.

"Why hello there," he turned on his charm.

The once exhausted woman took one look at Poe's garish smolder and instantly perked up.

"Hello, I'm Zorii," the receptionist said cheerfully.

Ben didn't recall hearing that tone when he and his friends checked in an hour ago. _Got to hand it to Poe, maybe he's still got it,_ he thought.

"Zorii what a lovely name. I don't think I've ever met a woman named Zorii. At least, not as beautiful enough for me to remember," Poe sweet talked her.

It was working. _Barf_ , Ben thought. _I_ c _an't believe women fall for that_.

"What can I do for you handsome?" she nearly swooned in his presence.

"You see Zorii, we've come across a bit of a problem with our reservations," Poe said. "Apparently this gentleman and I were given the same room."

"Oh that's not good," she tried to frown, but this girl was too flippant to sound convincing.

"It's alright. Funny thing actually, he's an old friend, so it was a serendipitous meeting of sorts. I guess I have you to thank for that," he winked at her.

"I guess you're indebted to me then," she responded seductively.

Ben coughed loudly to remind Poe of their current predicament. _Solve problems first, flirt later!_

"But we did come with separate groups so…" Poe flashed a flirty grin at her. She was eating off the palm of his hand.

"Let's see what happened and how we can fix it, shall we?" she eagerly offered. "What are the reservations under?" she readied her hands to type on her computer.

"Dameron and Solo. Room 2187."

She punched in their information, surprised to see that they in fact blundered the bookings for the two guests.

"Oh no, looks like we did place you two on the same reservation. My sincerest apologies," she said to them.

"Maybe you can make it up to me again and possibly find another available room for us? Better yet, one with extra space?" Poe sweetly requested. "I'm traveling with friends. Would love it if I had my own room… should I need a place to entertain tonight," he said suggestively.

 _Maybe I should take some pointers from Poe. This cheese head is actually scoring,_ Ben thought for a moment.

"You know I'd love to do that," she said willingly, "But unfortunately I'd need approval from my manager and he's pretty busy at the moment."

"Do you think you can see if he can spare a minute or two of his time? For me?" he said with puppy dog eyes.

 _Nope, hell no. I'll never be as ridiculous as Poe._ Ben immediately brushed that observation aside.

Zorii easily gave in and excused herself to head to the back office. Poe bragged about his plan working as Ben rolled his eyes in embarrassment. After 10 years, his friend was still quite the lady's man. _Go figure._

The receptionist came back with her manager, a plump man with a balding head. Ben pursed his lips and contained his expression as he was curious to see how Poe would be able to 'sweet talk' this guy into getting them rooms.

"Good afternoon. Gial Ackbar. I hear there's a bit of a problem with your reservations gentlemen?"

"Good evening Mr. Ackbar," Poe immediately shifted to a more mature, but still appealing, manner.

 _Impressive_ , Ben thought.

"You see sir, this gentleman and I were double-booked."

He took a look at their reservations on Zorii's computer.

"Ah, yes. My apologies to you both. This never happens," he said politely. "Let me see what I can do."

He typed for a little bit on the computer, grunted, shook his head, then back to ferociously typing. While Poe made googly eyes with the receptionist, Ben was noting the growing hindrance from the manager. He feared the worst.

"Unfortunately, gentlemen, we're pretty full," he shared. "Now what we can offer you is your current room to share and we will give it to you at no charge for our gaffe, but the only spare room I can offer is a studio suite."

Poe didn't know what to do from there. As Ben suspected, he didn't know how to get the manager to budge.

"What do you think?" he asked his friend.

Ben didn't deem it fair that they couldn't accommodate both his and Poe's parties. After all, they each reserved rooms. It was even more unfair that the offer of a second room wasn't even large enough for either party to settle comfortably. So, he felt that it was his turn to step in.

"I got this, Poe," he nodded confidently.

Poe simply beamed. The determination on Ben's face meant only one thing; He was bringing in the big guns – his mother.

Growing up, Ben didn't like making a spectacle about his family's social status with anyone. Poe knew who his family was – their two families were close – but he didn't understand the regality of it all when he was a mere eight year old. Fortunately, the two boys stayed close friends as years went by, with Poe never once taking advantage of Ben's riches when he learned more about the famed Skywalker family. Ben had only ever used his resources once in their 20 years of friendship – when they got caught sneaking into an R-rated movie and Ben mentioned that his mother, Leia Skywalker-Solo, was just in the restroom and that she personally brought the two boys herself to watch that particular flick. Needless to say, they eventually got in trouble for it, but that was the proudest moment that Poe, his mischievous best friend, had ever had with Ben.

"Mr. Ackbar," he began. "I appreciate your trying to accommodate us, but Mr. Dameron and I were guaranteed reservations upon booking our trip at this hotel. I'm sure a man of your stature understands the importance of upholding a simple standard such as that?"

"Yes, but-"

Ben wasn't finished. "Now I'm not familiar in the hospitality industry, but I am familiar in the corporate world. I'm sure my mother, _Leia Skywalker-Solo_ , has taught me a thing or two about it."

Poe couldn't help it, he fist-bumped his old friend. _Proud moment number two_.

Suddenly, the old man's demeanor had shifted.

"Mr. Ben Solo?!" he cleared his throat realizing who he was talking to. "I'm terribly sorry for this, sir. But really, this is out of my hands."

Ben knew how this worked. He's seen his father do this many times to get sweeter deals for them at resorts. _They'll try to bluff you, but you got the better hand, son_ , his father would always say. So, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. Poe was surprised by his actions but was loving every minute of this.

"Mom? Hey, it's me," Ben said aloud. "Yeah I'm good, we got here about an hour ago," he responded to his mother. "We're in a bit of a sticky situation. The reservation you booked for us seemed to have gotten mixed up and they can't vouch for me and my friends..."

The manager stood there nervously. Leia Solo's son was literally tattling on him.

Ben smugly grinned and turned to the manager.

"My mother would like to have a little chat with you, Mr. Ackbar, if that's alright?"

Blinking incredulously, the old man was able to utter, "O-of course!"

Ben handed his phone over and leaned against the counter patiently. While the poor guy was probably being chided by Ben's mother, Poe nudged him.

"Dude, I'm impressed," Poe said to him.

"I hate using my mom as an excuse," Ben grunted. "I'm so going to hell," he chuckled.

"No you're not!" Poe laughed. "Like you said, if we got confirmations, we're supposed to be given rooms."

"Ah, I hope so. At this rate I don't care what they give us, I just want to relax," Ben combed his hair back with his hand. It had been a long week and he was looking forward to this trip. He hoped this hotel mishap would be his only problem that weekend.

"Yeah, we're trying to relax too. It's been kind of crazy for us the past few weeks," Poe shared. "We came here to let some steam off and have fun."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. We almost weren't going to Vegas. I had to convince Rey to come, she was hesitant at first, but you know me, I can be persuasive," he joked.

Ben peeped over to their mixed group. A certain person in particular. He pondered how close Poe was with her. But before he could ask, they were interrupted.

"So sorry to keep you waiting, gentlemen." A red-faced Ackbar handed Ben back his phone and typed swiftly on his computer. "It seems that we may have a few options for you…"

After about fifteen minutes of Ben and Poe speaking to the lady at the front desk and the hotel manager, the old friends retreated to an awaiting crowd, lounging around the lobby chairs wondering their fate for the weekend.

"Well we've got good news and bad news," Poe stated.

"Turns out they don't have any more two-bedroom suites to accommodate the second party," Ben shared, receiving expected grunts from the collective.

"Then who gets the old room?" Rose asked.

"I didn't think it would be fair if one group got to have it and another had to fend for themselves," Ben said. "So I removed both reservations from it."

"How gallant Ben, but now none of us have a place to stay," Hux scorned.

"Now, now, you know how this goes. First the bad news to get everyone sad, then the good news to get everyone happy again," Poe explained optimistically.

"Then tell us already!" Finn was getting impatient.

"Well, Ben's mom called and gave the manager an earful," this made everyone laugh. "And after lots of negotiating with some added charm, from me of course," Poe bragged. Then he stopped for dramatic effect. He and Ben looked at one another mischievously.

"Oh my gosh you guys, just tell us!" Rey demanded.

"We only got to book one room," Ben stated.

"So… seven people are sharing one room?" Phasma tried to clarify.

"No, no, no my dear," Poe said. Then he held up a rather shiny key card. "We all get to stay in the PENT. HOUSE. SUITE."

~.~.~.~

If the two-bedroom suite was a dream, then the penthouse suite was paradise. Located on the top floor, this four-bedroom, four bath, 3000 square foot haven was theirs for the entire weekend. At first Ben and Poe were met with retorts, everyone still uncomfortable sharing space with half the guests being strangers to one another. But Ben assured that the suite was big enough, and that no one was required to spend time together if they didn't want to. As he said that last part however, he felt a twinge in his gut from his own words and found it hard to look at Rey. What was going on with him?

Everybody ultimately decided that they had no other choice and while they had initially argued, no one could deny their excitement of getting to stay in the largest room on the hotel's property.

True to Ben's words, the penthouse suite looked like a mansion. Four separate private bedrooms hugged each corner of the space, a full sized kitchen, a spacious dining area and a luxurious living room with a sizeable fireplace and probably the plushest couch ever made graced the space. Rey, Rose and Phasma wasted no time in leaping into a cloud as they settled nicely on the U-shaped sofa from heaven.

"Okay, I'm good with this," Finn had said when the men each grabbed a beer from the stocked fridge (again probably a perk Poe was able to score).

"So, what are the sleeping arrangements?" Phasma asked once they all settled from initial excitement.

There were four rooms and seven people. Not everyone was paired evenly.

"Well, couples get a room so you four are good," Poe pointed at the foursome. "Ben deserves a room since his mom hooked us up." They all nodded in agreement. "And, I guess Rey and I can share if- "

"No Poe, I already said I'll sleep on the couch, it's fine," she insisted. Poe shot her a concerned look.

For some reason Ben had held his breath when Poe suggested he and Rey share a room. Since their small chat in the lobby, Ben had possibly been wondering Poe's relationship with Rey. He may have mentioned something suggesting it earlier when they were at the lobby, but they got interrupted so Ben brushed it off. Though now it couldn't have been clearer for him. Obviously, they were traveling in couples, Phasma and Hux were a thing while Ben was the lonely 3rd wheel of his group. And in the grander scale, with the other group paired off he would be the 7th wheel. It would make sense that his old friend who always had girls chasing after him and that cute woman who nearly attacked him were most likely together. But seeing as Rey denied his offer, he breathed as if it was the best thing he's ever heard. Maybe he had a chance. Not that he was even still thinking about it.

"Are you sure? It's a king bed, and you're like two feet tall, I won't even notice since I'll probably be hammered," he snickered. "Like that time we stayed at the lake house last summer. Remember when we all had to sleep like sardines on the twin mattress?"

Finn acknowledged the memory and laughed with his friend.

"No, it's fine really. The couch is super soft," once again she protested.

"Come on, Rey. Take the bed. Unless… did you two have a bad breakup or something?" Phasma asked. Apparently not just to Ben, his friends may have also thought the two had been an item.

The four friends looked at one another and burst into laughter, confusing the others.

"No, no. Poe and I are _not_ a thing," Rey assured her and everyone.

"I'm their big brother," he puffed his chest proudly. "Rey is like a sister to me. No offense hon you're drop dead gorgeous, but I'll feel like I'm committing incest if I sleep with you."

"None taken, trust me. Besides, I'm not into guys with tramp stamps," she smirked.

"I'm sorry, what?" suddenly Hux and Phasma grew curious. This made everyone laugh.

"Dude, you still have that ink from senior year?!" Ben tried but couldn't contain his enjoyment.

"That was you?! You convinced him to do it?" Rey, Finn and Rose snickered harder.

"Guilty," he gleamed. He turned to his friends and explained. "I dared Poe to get a tattoo when we were younger. For some reason he got it on his lower back because the chick he flirted with at the tattoo parlor convinced him to put it there."

"Hey! I thought we were talking about sleeping arrangements," Poe tried changing the subject but failed miserably. Laughter filled the room. "Ah whatever you guys, I'm proud of my ink and it's not a tramp stamp! Rey, sleep in the room or the couch I don't care. I need a drink!" he blurted very quickly to save himself from further derision. Then he marched off to the kitchen, eliciting even more hilarity from everyone else.

When the teasing ended, they all retreated to their respective rooms. Rey still insisted on sleeping on the couch but had agreed to leave her belongings in Poe's room for the time being. However, he told her that knowing him, he might end up sleeping with some girl or get so plastered that he'd end up on the couch anyway so if he wasn't back by midnight then by all means Rey could have the bed. That she could agree on.

It was nearly 7 PM and it seemed like everyone was about ready to go out, so they took the elevator down to the lobby. Not ever really discussing plans, they all seemed to linger.

"So, this is where we part ways," Ben said to Rey. For some reason he felt the need to say a sort of goodbye to her, but he didn't know why.

"Yup. Uh... Have fun, Ben," Rey replied. She was caught off guard when he approached her, but she also had no idea what to say.

Poe had come back from the concierge with an eager expression.

"Alright, what will the first bar of the night be?" he asked to no one in particular.

"Huh?" Ben answered.

"Oh come on, are we not all going to hang out?" he said to everyone.

No one really answered him concretely.

"You guys, it's Vegas! Sure, we didn't have the best meeting, but what the hell, right? We came here to relax and knowing Ben, I'm sure you two wanted to have a little vacation from his craziness," he directed his attention to Hux and Phasma. They readily agreed since Poe wasn't wrong. "I'm not saying let's hold hands and sing kumbaya, but let's at least have a drink together. After all, we're going to be roomies for the weekend."

In the end they all agreed to Poe's offer.

"Also, I got us a limo for four hours so let the festivities begin!"

This time that remark was met with cheers. They had to hand it to Poe, he knew how to throw a party.

And so, the seven semi-strangers piled into the Hummer limousine, unsure as to what the evening had in store for any of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Bar Hopping (Getting To Know Each Other Pt. 1 & 2; Don't Think, Just Do)
> 
> "If it helps, I don't care who your mom is. It doesn't change my perspective of you."
> 
> "You have a perspective of me?"
> 
> "Like you don't have one of me?"
> 
> "I do, actually."
> 
> "And what is it exactly?"
> 
> "I think you're beautiful."
> 
> "...Flattery will get you everywhere, mister."


	5. Bar Hopping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I tried to find out if Derek Klivian's nickname "Hobbie" was derived from actual facts in the SWU, but didn't find anything. So I wrote my own backstory in this chapter. Also, Rey's and Ben's thoughts in this chapter are definitely supported by lots of alcohol in their system. Rest of the story they're a bit more mature about it... for the most part anyway. Enjoy!

* * *

**~V. Bar Hopping~**

_**~i. Getting to Know Each Other Pt. 1~** _

As luck would have it, Ben and Rey ended up sitting next to each other in the limousine, seeing as half the party consisted of couples and their host was already pre-gaming with a bottle of tequila and sticking his head out of the sunroof. They didn't mind of course since it was an unspoken thing that they were both glad to be around one another even for just a bit longer. Although nothing physically or verbally happened in the limousine between the two, the mutual tension was almost unbearable. If any of their friends cared to notice, they could have easily seen that there was some level of attraction present.

At the first bar everyone scattered after Poe bought the group a round of shots. As if it were a natural thing, Ben and Rey stayed close to one another. They found some stools at the bar to settle into. A couple sips of liquid courage in and the pair began a conversation.

"So," Ben started. "What is a pretty little English girl doing in Sin City? Better yet, what did you do in a previous life that punished you to get acquainted with the enigma that is Poe Dameron?" he quipped.

She couldn't help but giggle, thankful that the room wasn't well lit as a blush from the 'pretty' remark crept up on her cheeks.

"All I know is that Poe makes my life interesting. And he gives us free booze."

"Did he finally buy a bar?"

"Yeah, the Cantina on the pier."

"No way! Good for him," Ben said before taking a swig of his beer. "So, what about you?"

"What about me?" Rey was attempting to be coy. She told herself she needed a break from her love life, though she couldn't deny her ridiculous gravitation to this man.

"Who is Rey?" he smiled. Yup. That did it for her. If he wanted her bank account and all her credit cards, she'd give it to him no questions asked.

"Hm," she pressed her lips tightly, trying not to let his coquettish grin make her melt inside. "Well, I'm from London. Moved here for school and stayed when I landed a job," she tried to be brief.

"Ah, so are you some hotshot powerhouse or something and you needed to let off steam for the weekend?"

"Maybe," she answered with discretion.

"Maybe that's how you know my mom, you're in the business," he quipped an eyebrow.

"I mean who doesn't know your mom. She's LA royalty, right?" she pointed out.

"Yeah I guess," he shrugged.

Suddenly his whole demeanor shifted. What was once playful banter, Ben turned away from Rey and leaned his back on the bar, wandering his eyes around the room noncommittally. She felt that she may have said or done something wrong. _So much for flirting with the cute stranger,_ she thought.

"I'm sorry if I offended you," she said, feeling that he was not comfortable with the topic. "If it helps, I don't care who your mom is. It doesn't change my perspective of you."

He turned to her, another coquettish smirk on his face. "You have a perspective of me?"

She impishly hit his arm. "Like you don't have one of me?"

"I do, actually."

"And what is it exactly?" she was curious of what he thought of her.

"I think you're beautiful," he kept a strong gaze on her, showing he meant it.

She froze mid gasp, begging herself not to smile like a complete goof. _Holy crap, maybe there's still a chance,_ she cheered inside. _Be cool, Rey. Be cool._

She took a sip of her cosmopolitan and looked into his eyes.

In her most sultry voice, she responded, "Flattery will get you everywhere, mister."

Heat rushed south at her remark as Ben was very much liking where this conversation was headed. Also trying to play it cool, he finished his beer and ordered another before speaking to her again.

"Well, the night is young. If you won't tell me about yourself, I've got all the time in the world," he was sure of himself. _That cockiness_. Rey didn't usually like that on a guy, but on him it was _dead sexy_.

"Well how about you, who is Ben Solo?" she tried desperately changing the subject as to not lose her composure. This tantalizing game of cat and mouse was almost too much for Rey to handle. But she wanted to see it through. She _really_ wanted to see it through with Ben.

"Just a guy," he said coolly.

"Oh no fair," she hit his chest. _Damn was it firm_. "You beg me to talk but you say three words and it's casual?"

He smugly grinned. This earned another tap on his toned chest from her.

"How about this," he offered. He was never this forward on a woman, usually they would fall into his lap without him trying anything. But for some reason he felt the urge to step up his game for her. So, with his deepest and smoothest voice he whispered into her ear. "Grace me with your presence for a little bit longer tonight and I'll tell you anything you want."

 _Oh my gawwd YES!_ Rey screamed in her mind. Thankfully, the alcohol didn't overcome her thoughts just yet and she remembered why she was there. As hot as he was, she couldn't just ditch everyone.

"I don't want leave my friends behind," she reminded him.

 _Augh_ , Ben was inwardly groaning. This woman was driving his libido crazy and he hasn't so much touched her yet. Quickly, he thought on his feet.

"I'm sure we're all going to hangout a little bit longer before we go our separate ways. Poe's a really insistent guy."

It was a _very_ tempting offer. On one hand, she planned to be with her friends for the weekend so she wouldn't feel miserable about her breakup. On the other hand, Finn and Rose would probably have more fun having alone time and Poe would probably sleep with every woman he buys a drink for tonight.

Then there's Ben. On one hand, he's a complete stranger. Their meeting was unconventional. But on the other hand, he's undeniably attractive, and Rey could not deny her pull towards him any longer. She didn't think she'd even get involved with another man right after her breakup, let alone hook up with what Rose would call a 'rebound' guy. But spending time with Ben was getting dangerously comfortable, and Rey had no idea what to make of any of this.

However, she did want to have a spontaneous, off the books weekend. She recalled saying that to her friends. And she wouldn't mind having it with Ben. Actually, she only wanted to have it with Ben.

So, she listened to her gut for once instead of her mind.

"Buy me a drink and I'll consider."

_**~ii. Getting to Know Each Other Pt. 2~** _

On their next stop, Poe brought the gang to an outdoor bar; everyone dispersing to do their own thing, leaving Ben and Rey alone once again. They grabbed another beer and cosmopolitan and found a table to sit and continue talking.

"So, Rey, can you at least tell me your last name?"

"It's Andor."

"Rey Andor," he said, as if to confirm her existence. "What do you do, Rey Andor?"

"I work for a nonprofit in Mid City. I do the outreach and planning and development."

"Ah so you _are_ in the business," he teased. "The big leagues."

"Not that big," she said modestly. "Just a nice little nonprofit. What about you?"

"Ah well, I'm sort of in between jobs right now," he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. He didn't want to bring that up to the girl he was trying to score with, though he caught his faux paw since he was the one who asked what she did first. _Great Ben, way to blow it!_ He mentally kicked himself.

"I'm guessing it's why you're here," she had put two and two together.

"No, I'm here to hit on cute English girls," he winked. She couldn't help but show her blush this time. When he caught it, he felt like he was ten feet tall. _Maybe there was still a chance._ "Actually, I'm thinking of getting my pilot's license. Been wanting to do it for a while now."

"Wow, that's awesome," Rey was impressed. "Never met a pilot before."

"Poe never told you he used to be a pilot?" he took a quick swig.

"What, Poe was a pilot?!" she almost spat her drink out.

"Well, he got his license right after we graduated high school. I don't know if he ever did anything with it. But for as long as I've known him, he's always wanted to own a bar for some reason," Ben said. "Then again, the man's got an alcohol addiction so maybe it's not all surprising," he chuckled.

"That dummy. He could be giving us free booze and rides," Rey joked.

"That's Poe for ya," Ben laughed.

~.~.~.~

By their third bar, Ben was adamant to know more about Rey. He was interested in knowing everything about her, and something told him she may have the same intentions.

"Have you ever been to London?" she asked him, almost having to scream over the obnoxiously loud music.

"London? No. But I've been to Dublin though. Hux is from Ireland and we went to visit his family one time over a summer break."

"I haven't been home in years. I don't miss the weather, but I do miss the food."

"I mean, American food ain't healthy, but we've got some pretty good grub. Can't ever go wrong with pizza! Or any other kind of pie."

"Yes, I am in love with pies! Apple, blueberry, cherry is my absolute favorite!" she exclaimed. "And don't even get me started on brisket. YUM!"

Ben chuckled. This tiny little woman had a huge appetite. _Who knew_?

"I'd like to visit London some time," he said. "Would you give me a tour of everything?"

"Oh, would I?! I'll show you all the best pastries shops and pubs!" she got excited. Leave it to Rey to get excited about showing a traveler the food instead of the landmarks.

By his amused face she giggled, realizing she never mentioned the typical tourist traps. If Ben ever went to London with her, she could only imagine a great time with him.

"So you were born and raised in Los Angeles?"

"Yeah but I went to school up in Northern California. Then I came back home for a job."

"And that was?"

"I worked in a control tower at a private airfield."

"That explains the whole fascination for a pilot's license then," Rey said.

"Yeah, I was hoping to get my pilot's license so I could fly but I got canned so… oh well," he dismissed it hoping she wouldn't ask.

"Well, c'est la vie," she spoke, and they clinked glasses.

He smiled at her when she turned away, thankful that she didn't push him to talk about himself. While Rey continued to go on about the great food discoveries she made since moving to the states, Ben decided that her silent cues on sensitive topics was what he was beginning to like most about her. And they only just met!

_**~iii. Don't Think, Just Do~** _

Their fourth stop happened around 10 PM. Poe was quick to have everyone leave each bar if he didn't find his next conquest. It seemed like this would be the last of the collective group's destination though as Poe had made plans to go to a club with the flirty receptionist he met at the hotel, Hux and Phasma talked about seeing a band play, and Finn and Rose wanted to see the Blue Man Group. Ben ordered their drinks and he and Rey stood privately to the side as this bar was more crowded - most likely because it was later into the night. They didn't mind of course of this close proximity. It was a win-win for them both.

"So really, why are you here, Rey?" he tried asking once more.

She knew he would ask that again. It's not like she was the only one to ever encounter it, but she just didn't want to think about her ex. This whole night, Ben had distracted her so well that Rey was actually happy for the first time since it happened.

"Honestly?" she said. "I'm here to get over a breakup."

She fiddled with the straw in her glass. It was the first time she had shared this blow with someone other than her friends.

"Oh," was all he could say. _Shit_ , Ben thought. _I ruined her night._

"Yeah," she said before taking a long sip of her cocktail.

"Guy's an idiot if he ever thought of breaking up with you," he scoffed, drinking his beer.

"Want to know the worst part? We were engaged," she said matter-of-factly. While the subject had been difficult to bring up, strangely she noticed that the words didn't hurt her as much when she said it aloud. Maybe Ben was a good distraction.

"Wow, then he is the biggest fucking moron to not marry you," he said incredulously.

Her word vomit continued. "Broke up with me the day after Valentine's day. Said he didn't want to 'ruin the holiday for me'. As if one day would make a difference for the inevitable."

"What a dick."

"Yeah well, that's Hobbie for ya," she said. She took a rather long sip of her drink to wash down his horrible name from her mouth.

"What kind of a name is 'Hobbie'?" Ben snorted.

"His name's Derek," Rey clarified. "Hobbie was a nickname given to him since he was a kid. He did a lot of things in his spare time; lots of talents – rowing, cricket, baseball, scuba diving, reading - and his friends gave him that nickname because of it."

"Well he should find a new 'hobby' in getting a brain because he's an imbecile," he joked.

She giggled, knowing he was trying to make her feel better. It was definitely working.

"Yeah… you know he told me that I was the problem? That I was weighing him down and all. I sure know how to pick 'em, huh?" This time, however, those words made her feel small.

Ben was in shock. He didn't know what to say. It was a stock answer telling someone that their ex made a mistake, and his other responses were actual honesty. But for the first time that night he saw a vulnerable side to Rey that made him want to hold her protectively in his arms so she wouldn't break. He knew there was nothing he could really say to make her feel better. She was feeling her breakup. Nothing anyone ever told him while he was in pain had helped either. So, he just let her figure out her own thoughts for a minute.

"You know that job that I was let go of?" he slightly changed the subject. She seemed surprised but was relieved as she didn't seem to want to elaborate more on her love life. "Well, did I mention I worked for my dad?"

"Ouch," Rey shuddered, feeling sympathy. "And you'd think a place in the family business would mean job security. That's brutal."

"Yeah, right?" he scoffed.

Ben took a long gulp of his beer. When he spoke again, his tone changed.

"If my dad thought I was a horrible guy, I must be doing something wrong."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up," she tried to encourage him.

"Yeah well it's kind of true. I'm not exactly the reliable type. I wouldn't bet on myself."

"I'd bet on you, Ben," she said sincerely.

Ben looked at her as if for the first time someone actually noticed him. For a moment, he didn't feel like a complete let down.

"It's a risky move, Rey. But thanks."

"Yeah, but worth it," she explained. "I risked trusting you to not harm be in the hotel room when we first met. I guess my gut was right because now I'm out having drinks with you," she nudged him lightly.

Ben dryly gulped at her words. It was true. She had taken the chance to trust him. That lifted a large weight on his shoulders for absolutely no reason at all, especially coming from a girl he had barely known for six hours.

~.~.~.~

For the rest of the hour their conversations had tapered off. They each exposed such sensitive areas of their personal lives that their emotions were eating them up inside. However, reality set back in for Ben and as their friends were preparing to venture off to their own plans. He dreaded knowing that he had no real reason to be around Rey anymore.

Rose had mentioned that she and Finn would be heading out to watch a show and while she was invited, Rey did not want to be the third wheel, so she declined. Instead, she decided to stick with Poe and most likely look out for him while he partied all night. There wasn't really another option for her at this point.

"You alright?" Ben noticed her blank expression once her friends left.

He was still debating whether or not to head to a concert with Hux and Phasma. Obviously, his decision was tendered on Rey's plans.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she weakly smiled.

Unfortunately, without Rose or Finn around to keep her from talking about her ex, she was starting to feel a grey cloud settle over her head. It was so apparent that Ben caught on the reason why she was acting aloof.

"Hey," he tried to get her to look at him. "You know how they say, 'it's not you it's me' but really it's you?"

She nodded. Though Hobbie didn't say it that way - his was much more blunt - she was familiar with the expression.

"Well the same goes for the opposite."

She stared at him, bemused.

"I'm serious. If that dumb fuck told you that you were the problem, then he was more likely the real reason. You know aside from the fact that he must have a brain aneurism for even considering to mess things up with you."

He had never met the guy but already decided he wanted to hunt him down for the pain he caused Rey.

"Thanks Ben," Rey said. She took a hold of his arm, squeezing it lightly to show gratitude. This arm touching an hour ago would have made her giddy, but the mood shifted and right now she was feeling her heart ache. "But he wasn't wrong. He told me I was well… boring."

"You are _far_ from boring, Rey. I mean do you remember how we met?! Thought I was going to dent my ego by letting a tiny little lady beat the shit out of me!" he joked, prompting her to laugh. _Score_ , Ben said to himself.

"Yeah well, I've definitely always been the good girl playing it safe," she confessed.

"You're in Vegas, Rey. You do know they call it 'Sin City' right?"

"Well I'm hardly doing anything wild. I'm just bar hopping with Poe."

 _This was his chance._ His chance to turn the night around. To explore this mutual attraction and show her a good time. He wasn't going to let both their nights go to waste in sullen grief.

"Well then," he offered his hand again, like he did the first time they met. "Let a stranger help you have a good time tonight."

"I don't know…"

"Come on Rey. Don't think, just do."

She looked at his hand waiting for her to take it. Her thoughts of Hobbie momentarily went away and the earlier motives of the start of their evening came flooding back. She wanted to say yes, especially to Ben, but this was a recipe for disaster. Something she would probably regret. Something she never in her wildest dreams would ever consider, something- wait… but wasn't that the point? To let loose and not think about the next five steps? To be herself again? The think for herself lighthearted woman she was before she met Hobbie? Wasn't the point of this weekend to have fun? _Screw it._

She rolled her eyes and this time took his hand.

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" she teased.

He smirked at her. "Probably, but maybe you won't."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: The Morning After
> 
> "Thanks again for bringing me along for your friends' special night," she said to Poe.
> 
> "What are you talking about, beautiful?" he asked her.
> 
> "Oh silly, you remember, last night with these two."She pointed between Ben and Rey.
> 
> "Uh… she's not my girlfriend," Ben tried to correct her.
> 
> "Well of course not anymore, sweetie," she nudged Ben's arm. "She's your wife. You're married now."


	6. The Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Not sure if ao3 is more strict on warnings so I I'll add it in case. This chapter revolves arund the aftermath of a 'fun' and 'drunken' night out. Nothing explicit, but there are suggestive comments of a great time ;) Also, alcohol makes you do regrettable (questionable?) things. Drink responsibly!

* * *

**~VI. The Morning After~**

Rey woke up the next morning with the biggest migraine she had ever had in her life.

 _Oh bloody hell I hope I didn't throw up on anything_ , was her immediate thought.

Thankfully, one sniff of her breath, there were no traces of sourness – only a strong whiff of alcohol and a hint of morning breath. How much did she have to drink last night?

And those damn curtains. Why didn't she think to shut them? The blazing sun glimmering through her window was not helping with the excruciating thrashing in her head. She felt around and realized she was on a bed. Poe probably let her sleep in the room, so he was probably knocked out on the couch or had stayed out all night.

She was about to get up to get some water and aspirin to curb this nightmare of a morning when suddenly she realized something else. No, _someone else_. Twisting her head sluggishly, fearing for what she'd discover and feigning the pulsating ache in her temples, she found a head of black hair resting on the pillow right beside her. _Oh no_.

Discovering even more, she noticed this person was sans clothing… and yup, so was she under the bedsheets. _Shit_. _Shit. Shit_.

She propped up on her elbows slowly, trying to remember more and more of her blurred night as well as trying to figure out who this person was. As she lifted herself slightly, the covers on the man's body slid down and revealed a too good to be true toned back with rough red marks running all over this stranger. She knew that back. She knew that body. _Ben_.

Did she hook up with him last night and was too hungover to remember? _You_ _idiot_.

Yes, she admitted to herself that she was being particularly flirty with him all night and yes, he was ungodly attractive, but she didn't expect to give her entire self into her craving and hook up with a man she _just met_. _She had standards for crying out loud_ … well whatever was left of it.

Ben shuffled a bit in his sleep. She dared to stay still because she didn't know what she would say to him if he awoke. He flipped over to her side and swung his arm across her, letting it rest idly on her lower torso. That brief contact instantly brought some of Rey's memories back. Sort of… A sudden flash in her pounding head got her to believe that she may have dreamt of having mind-blowing, ear-shattering sex with Ben the night before - a fantasy she didn't think was real until grasping the truth after he touched her. It most certainly was not a dream. _It happened_. _Oh boy did it happen_.

Just for a moment she thought to herself that at least she hooked up with someone she somewhat knew and was attracted to. But then again, that was not the type of 'wild, off the books weekend' she was hoping for. She was a good girl, and good girls did not sleep with guys she barely knew for 24 hours. _Keep telling yourself that, hon. It still doesn't change the fact that it happened._

She couldn't contain her mixed emotions anymore, bringing her hands up to mask her reddening face.

"Oh god," she whimpered a little too loud.

He stirred beside her and lazily groaned, most likely waking up with the same painful migraine as hers.

"Fuuuck," he winced from his budding aches, grabbing at his temples. He slowly opened his own eyes and was met with familiar stares of the woman in bed with him. "Oh…" he suddenly realized.

There was no reason to be shy around him now, Rey thought. She already slept with him, despite not fully remembering it all. What she remembered was enough though. Still, she wanted to crawl into a corner and be invisible.

"Hi," she mumbled.

"Hi," he didn't know what to say either.

They stared at each other and after a beat, both chuckled, trying to ease the tension.

"Is this… good or… bad or…?" he wasn't sure what she was thinking.

"Maybe… a little bit of both?" she said honestly.

"I'll take it," he smiled, trying to wake up with another yawn.

"I mean you and me, this…" she pointed between them.

"Pleasurable?" he hoped she would say.

"Oh yeah," she nodded a little too much, even adding a thumbs up with her hands like a total spaz. _Now's not the time to be nervous, Rey._ "But also…" she digressed.

"Unexpected?" he suggested.

"You could say that."

"When in Vegas, right?" he humored her.

"Yeah, when in Vegas," she heavily sighed in agreement.

"Do you want some breakfast?" he changed the subject.

Apparently, he didn't want to talk about it yet either as he was stalling just as much as she was. _Thank god._

"That sounds perfect."

They scrambled awkwardly to get out of bed. Despite apparently sleeping together and seeing each other naked as the day they were born the night before, they were both too shy to be seen so exposed to one another that morning. She was in his room, she gathered, since her bag wasn't there. Her dress reeked of alcohol and she wasn't really ready to do the walk of shame in the outfit she had worn the night before; despite that it was just a simple path across the kitchen to the other side of the suite. He offered her a shirt to wear so she could be a bit more comfortable until she got to her room, while he quickly threw on sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Once clothed, they made their way to the bedroom door. It seemed quiet on the other side so they both assumed the coast was clear as everyone was probably still asleep. Slowly opening his door as to not make a creak, they tiptoed outside.

They were _not_ ready for what ensued next.

 _EVERYONE_ was awake and present.

Phasma and Rose were in the kitchen making coffee. Finn and Hux were sprawled on the couch watching TV and Poe was sitting at the dining table happily reading the sports section of the newspaper and leaning back with his feet up on the countertop. To make things worse? They couldn't even fake it. Their friends would without question construe that the two had spent the night together.

"Well… _good morning_ ," Poe said a little too eagerly, setting his newspaper down and reveling at the two hungover beings.

This prompted everyone to direct their attention to the disheveled pair. One by one each person curled their lips, holding in smirks and muted gasps.

"Have a nice evening, I presume?" Poe was definitely milking it.

If there was ever a moment that either Rey or Ben wanted to just erase from their memories, this took the cake.

Rey immediately tried to process their options: they could try to talk their way out of embarrassment, or just get the confrontation over with. She hadn't moved or turned her body to look at Ben, but she could tell with his barely moving figure, he had no idea what to do either. _Screw it_ , she thought, they'll pry one way or another.

"Poe, not now," Rey said between gritted teeth before timidly walking across the kitchen and living room to the other side of the suite to go to her room and change. She didn't dare to meet anyone else's stares. Once she shut her door, all eyes went to Ben.

"Ben," Phasma tried to calmly say, though it was getting hard for anyone not to be so expressive.

He looked at his friend briefly then immediately walked backwards to his room, shutting it tight. When the pair had left, everyone outside couldn't help but express their hysterics.

Rey scrubbed herself harshly in the shower. Although she would have loved to admit she got to hook up with Ben, all she could think of was the embarrassment of the whole situation. And to top it off, their friends obviously figured it out and were not making it easier on either of them. The worst part of it all was that Rey didn't even know what she thought of it, what she thought of Ben and most importantly, what Ben thought of it all.

After her shower Rey lingered on the bed, too nervous to make an appearance outside. She was thankful that Rose didn't knock on the door to try to talk to her. As much as she loved her, she didn't want to talk about any of this just yet. Not until she talked to Ben. A moment later she heard muffled yelling outside the door. It was Ben's voice.

"Out! All of you! Nosey fucks!" she heard him say. He was shooing everyone so he could talk to her. When she heard the door slam, she figured the coast was clear.

As she stepped out of her room, Ben was in the kitchen pouring himself a cup of coffee. She walked over to the table where Poe had been sitting and plopped down. He came back with a second cup and handed it to her. After a minute of drinking in silence, she decided that it was now or never.

"So…"

She looked up at him and he was half smiling. This eased her somehow and allowed her to confidently continue.

"Last night, huh?" she treaded lightly.

"Yeah, last night was…"

"Great," she blushed. He couldn't help but feel confident about her reaction.

"Yeah. You were a lot of fun. Really great… You're fun," he babbled. He meant it for sure but didn't know how else so say _'I had the best sex of my life last night with the most beautiful woman I've ever met_ ' without sounding like a creep – or too endearing (especially if she wasn't interested).

"I am?" she asked in disbelief. Her shyness was adorable in Ben's eyes.

"Of course!" He said a little to energetically. He caught his own actions and settled down a bit, hoping she didn't notice his over-enthusiasm. "Seriously. Your ex was super wrong about you. That prick."

"Thank you," she said softly. She felt like she needed to thank him for something. Helping her with this breakup? A fun night out? Phenomenal sex? _All of the above_.

"I-it's my pleasure," he finally blushed. God, she loved that shade of pink on his skin.

"Ben," she started. "Can we just… I mean I don't want to forget what happened because it was so amazing, but can we just let that be and just go on with our weekend?"

He let out a huge breath that he was apparently holding in.

"Yes, I totally agree," he nodded. "I'd like that. I mean, you're great and all…" he trailed.

"Same," She offered to explain. "But I don't think neither of us are in the position to be in a relationship right now, am I right?"

"Yes," he certainly agreed. On another occasion in another time, Ben would've loved to try and woo Rey. But she was right that it wasn't the right timing. "I mean, if the circumstances were different, believe me I'd be thrilled to take you out," this earned blush from Rey. "But from what I can remember last night, we probably both need to be single for a while."

"Exactly," Rey wholeheartedly agreed.

"Good," he nodded.

"Good," she smiled.

Well, at least they were on the same page. Still, it was awkward.

"But you know that won't slide with our friends, right?" he mentioned to her.

Oh, she knew. Poe was such a gossip.

"Yeah well… they can piss off," she said jokingly.

"Hey look," he leaned in a bit. "I don't want you to think I was taking advantage of you or anything. You're a really great girl and I respect you a lot."

"Thanks," she did appreciate his sentiment. "Though I think I was the one taking advantage of you, letting off my breakup steam," she admitted. Again, this made him blush. _Two for Two, Rey!_

"Look, if you want, we can just be friends or acquaintances at the very least, since we both know Poe. I'm fine with that. And we'll not bring this up… _ever_ ," he opted.

"I think I can do with acquaintances," she agreed to his offer. "But I think I'm done with alcohol for the weekend."

"That's probably not a bad idea for me too," he chuckled.

She was happy that they found common ground; they both thought to just let this one-time thing happen and not dwell on it. A part of her kind of wanted to see where it would go, but the sensibility in Rey brought her back down to reality.

After a comfortable amount of time and a nice chat, they decided to head downstairs to meet up with their friends for breakfast. At least now that they were on the same page, they'll be ready to face their ridiculously curious group.

Without fail as the pair made it to the lobby, the questions immediately attacked them. Ben and Rey assured everyone countless times that nothing was going on between them. They had a fun night and that was that. They told their friends – more directed to Poe - to be adult about it as Ben and Rey were being mature and to just sweep any ideas of the two of them being a couple under the rug. After prying and not getting much information out of them, their friends eventually decided to let it die down.

While the pair of couples sat at a table together, Poe, Rey and Ben settled at another table and enjoyed their breakfast. Poe tried a bit more to see if they liked each other but they stood their ground, much to his dismay.

"I have to admit though, you two _do_ look cute together," he winked at them. He had succeeded in making them blush. At least he got something!

"Nice try, Poe. But Ben and I are going to be mature about it. So you should too," Rey dismissed her friend's teasing and continued to snack on her fruit bowl.

"Oh you two are no fun," Poe tossed his sugar packets at them.

"You have all the fun for all of us anyway, Dameron," Ben kidded.

"You know it!"

Just then, the receptionist that assisted Poe and Ben from the day before walked up to them.

"Ah, good I found you guys! I was ringing your room but didn't get an answer," she said.

"Zorii, lovely to see you again," Poe grabbed at her waist as if boundaries meant nothing to them.

"Hey Poe," she giggled. Then she sat on his lap. "Thanks again for bringing me along for your friends' special night."

Poe, Ben and Rey were slightly confused.

"What are you talking about, beautiful?" he asked the woman.

"Oh silly, you remember last night with these two." She pointed between Ben and Rey.

"Uh… she's not my girlfriend," Ben tried to correct her. They were all not following.

"Well of course not anymore, sweetie," she nudged Ben's arm. "She's your wife. You're married now."

_She's your wife._

_You're married now._

Her words echoed in their ears like the piercing buzz of tinnitus. Ben and Rey grew wide-eyed. Was this woman telling the truth?!

Poe couldn't help but snort in disbelief. "Wait, wait. What?" He asked Zorii.

"Oh my god, hello? Last night I met up with you three after my shift and we went to the chapel to see these two get hitched," she said as if it was the most normal thing to tell people. "Oh! I almost forgot," she added as she remembered why she had approached them in the first place. "Here are your photos. They're complimentary courtesy of the honeymooner's package. Again congratulations! You two are so adorable together!" she squealed.

Zorii handed the envelope to Ben and kissed Poe intensely before leaving, begging him to call her before he left to 'hang out' again for one more night.

After Poe finished flirting with his lady friend, he turned his attention to the two ghosted faces in front of him. He couldn't contain his amusement.

"That Zorii is crazy. Can you guys believe she thinks you're married?"

Ben turned to Rey and together they opened the envelope. He pulled out a small stack of photos. The first one was all they needed to confirm what Poe's friend had said. It was a portrait of Ben in a black blazer above the clothes he wore the night before and Rey wearing a veil on her head wearing her dress from the night before as well. The two were grinning a little too much and hugging each other like Poe and Zorii, disregarding any personal boundaries. They were most likely drunk in the photo seeing as their eyes were so glassy. On the bottom it captioned, ' _Mr. and Mrs. Solo_ '.

Poe was flummoxed at his friends' sudden silence. Curious, he grabbed the photos from Ben's hands, grew wide-eyed for just one moment, then wickedly grinned.

"YOU GUYS GOT MARRIED LAST NIGHT?!"

Clearly, Poe said this loud enough so their other friends could hear the commotion.

"WHAT?!" was the consensus response as the others crowded around Poe to look at their photos.

That sudden outburst snapped Ben and Rey from their shock and sent wave of panic in both their eyes.

"No we didn't, did we?" She desperately asked him.

"Of course not. We couldn't have," he tried to believe himself.

"I mean, we didn't have that much to drink last night, right?" Though she knew they probably did.

"I don't even remember going to a chapel," Ben panicked.

"Oh Rey, what a pretty ring," Phasma said as their friends looked at another picture.

Rey grabbed the photo that Phasma was referring to and sure enough a ring was tucked onto her left hand. She wasn't presently wearing a ring however but had noticed that a small red denture lightly grazing the top of her ring finger. It definitely looked like something was worn on that finger last night. Then a sudden thought had surfaced. That morning when she and Ben got up, she could have sworn that she stepped on something cold pricking her feet and jumped, feeling jittery as she already was while shuffling to put on a shirt.

She looked at Ben. The panic in her eyes was enough for him to comprehend her thoughts. They ran back up to the penthouse and straight to his room, searching frivolously for said ring. They scoured the sheets, he flipped the mattress, she opened every drawer, they checked his bag and even the bathroom, but couldn't find the damn thing.

They sat defeated on his bed, sighing in frustration.

"Maybe Poe's friend was just messing with us. I mean, those photos could have been photoshopped," Ben suggested. "Knowing Poe, he might be the one messing with us just for the hell of it."

"True. Plus, it didn't really look like we were dressed up, more like wearing props to a fun little photo shoot. You know?" Rey added. "I'm sure lots of clubs have those type of gimmicks."

They momentarily let that thought linger.

Rey had relaxed a bit as the two agreed that Poe's friend was just pulling their arms. They'd have to confront her and give her props for it. Though, as Rey's eyes wandered around and looked down at her feet, a shiny little sparkle caught the corner of her eye. She reached down under the leg of the nightstand and pulled out the object that they feared to find. It was a shiny gold band with diamonds encrusted around the top half. It was the ring in the picture.

 _They were married_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Aftermath (The Truth Comes Out; Relaxing On The Balcony; Music Doesn't Lie)
> 
> "Hold on," Zorii gathered. "You mean you guys don't remember any of that?"
> 
> "Can you please tell us what you know?"
> 
> "Of course. Let's see..."


	7. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Again chapter warning of Ben and Rey finding out what happened the night before (which heavily involves alcohol and questionable choices lol)

* * *

**~VII. Aftermath~**

_**~i. The Truth Comes Out~** _

It took a while for Ben and Rey to return downstairs to their friends. After the second wave of shock of realizing their nuptials the night before, they wanted to genuinely know if they indeed tied the knot. Rey immediately texted Poe to ask the receptionist to return and explain the full story – or at least what she recalled because they were almost certain everyone had too much to drink last night. They knew what she would say, that she would confirm the truth. But they still wanted, no _needed_ the validation.

Hux, Phasma, Rose and Finn excused themselves to check out the slot machines to give their friends some privacy. As much as this news was a shocker to everyone, they knew not to push it, especially because it just got a surprise twist.

"What's up you guys?" Zorii wondered why she was called over. Again, she straightaway made herself cozy on Poe's lap.

"Well you see beautiful, my two friends here… actually, all of us don't really remember what happened last night."

"Ah well, alcohol does that to you," she giggled. "It's an elixir for fun!"

"More like a memory wiper," Rey mumbled.

"Yeah no kidding," Ben agreed.

"And well, you kind of surprised us with the whole marriage thing between these two."

"Hold on," Zorii gathered. "You mean you guys don't remember any of that?"

She looked at Ben and Rey and they both shrugged, dropping their heads shamefully.

"Wow, okay… I mean, I can't say I haven't heard this before," she admitted. "But, it's not that bad is it? Somewhere down the road you two would've gotten married, right?"

More humiliation filled their heads and this time they couldn't look at each other.

Poe cackled at Zorii's question. "Actually, they just met last night."

"Oh…"

"When in Vegas, right?" Poe teased.

"Can you please tell us what you know?" Rey begged the receptionist.

After the initial shock, Zorii nodded. "Of course. Let's see…"

The evening, Zorii recalled, went a little something like this: Zorii had met up with Poe, Ben and Rey after her shift ended close to midnight. Poe was dancing on top of a table with his shirt off and two beers in hand when she met up with him, and he had pointed out Ben and Rey at a couch in the corner making out aggressively.

"I mean seriously girl you were like eating his face."

Poe muffled a laugh, while Rey blushed madly.

"And Ben, shoot his hands were all over Rey's body. I mean like _ALL. OVER_."

Again, Poe tried not to laugh. This time Ben joined in on the embarrassment.

By that time, Rey and Ben both assumed that they were super drunk and had let their sexual tension get the best of them. _Alcohol you evil bitch._

Zorii then continued and shared that the four of them ended up going to a magic show because Poe kept insisting on it. A drunk Ben volunteered to assist with a magic trick: pulling out a bouquet of roses from the magician's hat. After successfully doing so, the magician told him to give the bouquet to his special lady, Rey. Ben walked over from the stage to Rey, who was sitting down, and kneeled in front of her to present the bouquet of flowers.

"This is where everything happened so fast. Forgive me if I forget anything, I was already on your guys' drunk level," Zorii giggled.

"No worries, please continue," Ben and Rey were feeling antsy. They knew it was coming.

The magician thought, given the position Ben was in, that he was proposing to Rey and had encouraged the audience to cheer for them. Rey, drunk and confused as hell, didn't understand what the cheering was about and asked Ben. Unfortunately, Ben was just as intoxicated and muddled so he asked the magician why everyone was cheering. Going by his assumptions, the magician told Ben he and Rey were. Ben and Rey were surprised at that news but weren't in the right mind to think straight so they thought he was telling the truth. So, Ben announced to the audience that they were getting married.

"Wait, wait. So the magician thought wrong and you guys thought Ben asked you?" Poe couldn't contain his amusement.

"Yes, yes. We get it. Alcohol is the enemy," Ben glared at his friend. "Please continue!"

Zorii took them to the only late night jeweler on the strip where Ben purchased a ring for Rey at a very good deal.

"Poe was able to schmooze the guy a couple hundred bucks off it too," Zorii said.

"Wow, even under the influence my magic still works," Poe boasted.

"This isn't about you right now, Poe!" Rey cried.

Once they purchased a ring, they headed over to a chapel and the two exchanged vows with Poe and Zorii as witnesses.

"And well, I'm sure you two know what happened next," she winked at the pair.

This made Rey and Ben blush for the umpteenth time that morning.

"Holy shit."

"My thoughts exactly."

"So, this is legit?" Poe wanted to clarify the whole thing.

"By the state of Nevada," Zorii said proudly.

"Wow, when in Vegas am I right?" he tried to lighten the mood.

Zorii was the only one amused.

Ben buried his face in his hands, ruffling his hair in stark realization. Rey heaved deeply, trying to make sense of it all as well. She took the ring they found upstairs out of her pocket and examined it. She couldn't believe this was all real. _She got married_.

"Oh Rey honey, don't lose that ring. Ben may have gotten it for a great deal but that's a real Cartier; 18k gold with 12 diamonds three quarters caret! Lucky girl," she said to the shocked 'bride'.

 _Holy Shit,_ Rey thought. Truthfully, they assumed it was a cheap piece of silver and zirconia that wedding chapels sell for their ceremonies, but now that they knew this piece of jewelry had a generous price tag, the weight of the thing got heavier. Literally and figurately.

"Hopefully I was able to clarify a few things. I need to get back to the front desk. Poe call me," Zorii said.

Before dashing off she turned to the pair.

"Mistake or not. You two really did seem to hit it off last night. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise." With that she smiled and walked away.

"So…" Poe beckoned, "Is there a congratulations in order?" He smirked.

"Bite me," Rey snarled at her friend.

"Ouch. I see you've got a feisty one over here, Solo," Poe teased his other friend.

This earned a slap to the back of his head from Rey.

"This is not a good time, Poe," Ben grumbled at his friend.

"You two are just glowing from the news. I see what they mean by marital bliss," he clowned one more time.

This glowing he spoke of was of tension, _not bliss_. Their staggering glares finally stopped the jokester from further prodding.

"Fine, fine," he signaled in defeat.

With that, Poe decided against his better judgment to not make things worse and got up, leaving to find the other couples in the casino, giving Ben and Rey some much needed space and a chance to talk.

A beat had passed and after finally getting the missing information from their late-night exploits, a steady calmness resonated.

"As soon as I get back home, I'm clearing out all the bloody alcohol in the pantry," Rey tried lightening the mood.

Ben chuckled. "Yeah, I might just go cold turkey too."

Rey lightly giggled, then heavily sighed. "And I thought talking to you post hook-up would be the hardest thing today."

He nodded in agreement. "Well, I mean… We obviously don't… we are… maybe… I don't really know what to say here, please help," he nervously chuckled.

Rey couldn't help but relieve some tension and laugh at the situation as well. Obviously, it was a clear misjudgment on their parts. There was no one really to blame.

"I guess, to sum it up… Crazy night."

"Very."

"Alcohol induced choices."

"Oh yeah."

"And just a quick trip to the courthouse to patch it up, then we'll both be on our ways."

"I couldn't agree more."

Although she was amazing and he seemed to have been attracted to her the moment they met, Ben knew this situation was just too bizarre. She wasn't emotionally available, and he needed to grow up and become a responsible adult. It was best for he and Rey to just go back to their usual lives.

"I had a really great time though," she said under her breath. Though it was enough for Ben to hear.

"Me too," his cheeks tinged with pink.

He definitely meant it. It was a fun time with good company, but they hardly knew each other, and they both felt unnerved with the entire situation. It was best for Rey and Ben to go their separate ways.

"We'll always have Vegas," he said to her.

"Yep, our crazy Vegas story," she chuckled.

**_~ii. Relaxing on the Balcony~_ **

As a stupid rule – Rey's words - they had to request an annulment or divorce in their home state. Thankfully both Rey and Ben lived in California, so she suggested the first thing that they do when they got back to Los Angeles was to head to the courthouse. He agreed seeing as they had no other choice but to wait until Monday. That meant they had to stay newlyweds for one more day. Not that they would do anything about it, no matter how much their friends poked about it, but it was official until then.

The rest of the day was spent separately among the collective. Ben, Hux and Phasma checked out the local music scene, while Rey and Rose went to M&M world and Finn and Poe tried ziplining for the first time. At a steady hour in the late afternoon, they all found themselves back in the penthouse suite, coincidentally. Phasma and Ben were hunched over on the dining table ogling at the newly bought records the trio had found at a small shop and Poe was teaching Rose and Hux how to play Texas Hold 'em in the living room.

Finn and Rey opted not to waste the sunny day and reclined on pool chairs out in the balcony.

"If this is how the other side lives, I don't ever want to leave," Finn sighed happily.

"See that's how Vegas gets to you. It may be a freaking dessert, but alcohol, ginormous buffets and rooftop pools keep you from leaving… and burn a hole in your pocket," she kidded. "But I got to admit, I am relaxed."

"I'm glad Peanut. Honestly, you needed this the most. And not just because of Hobbie, but because you work so damn much, you deserve a break!"

"I don't work that much," she tried to be modest.

Finn nearly choked on his beer when he heard that silly lie. "Oh please! You are so involved with your nonprofit, which is admirable of course, but when you're not at work helping children, you're at home calling benefactors to help your cause! Don't you have a new project happening when we get back?"

"A gala, yes. We invite all our benefactors and potential donors to raise awareness."

"And I will gladly put my money that you're in charge," he quipped an eyebrow at her.

"Well, I'm not the outreach and planning and development coordinator for nothing you know," she winked at him before sipping her lemonade.

"AKA, Miss Workaholic! When we get back, we probably won't see you for six months!"

"Hey, I love my job," she slapped his arm. "And don't worry I'll see you guys! Poe's birthday is coming up, and Rose's sister will be in town. I'll try not to be a hermit."

"I wish I could believe you, Rey, but I know I won't see you until Christmas or something," he teased. "I'm proud of you though."

"Thanks Finn," she hugged her best friend. She laid back on her chaise and sunbathed a bit more. At last, Rey was truly relaxed since they got there.

"You know what the best part is about this trip so far?" Finn cleared his voice.

"What?" she asked blissfully.

"That you finally got some action to relieve your sexual frustration," he turned to her smugly.

"What frustration?!" she was wide-eyed, a blush evident all over her face.

"Oh come on, girl," Finn said playfully. "Don't even deny it. Sure, you only broke up with Hobbie a couple weeks ago, but I can sure as hell bet you two weren't intimate for quite some time before that."

"And how would you know? He was my fiancé if you didn't remember. We were on a pre-honeymoon high."

"Rey, I love you but that doesn't mean anything," Finn laughed. "Fiancé or not, you and Hob didn't really exude sex. And please, that's just a title," he scoffed.

"Excuse me! It's a romantic title, it's French!" Rey defended. "They invented romance!"

"Oh bullshit, Rey," Finn couldn't help it. "Because if you're all about the romantic titles, and this blissful high, then how come you're out here talking to me instead of in the bedroom wrecking the sheets with your legally bound husband, hmm?" If he weren't her best friend, she would've dumped her lemonade all over his smug face.

"Don't even go there!" she glared at him.

"Come on, Peanut. Don't you like him?" he smirked.

"I don't know Finn, I hardly know him," she admitted – more to herself than to Finn.

He glanced at her. That knowing glance, one that had Poe's moronic smirk written all over it.

"Oh shut it, you know what I mean," she shoved his shoulder.

"Okay, okay," he raised his arms to surrender. "But if you ask me, you and Ben seemed to really hit it off. Could've fooled me that you two weren't a happy couple - married or not."

"Why does everybody say that? We only hung out once. Shagged once. We're not even interested in one another," Rey crossed her arms in frustration.

"Hey, I'm sorry." Finn knew he should stop. "No one is judging you or Ben or anything. We're all adults here. Maybe not Poe, but we love you guys so if it's shame or embarrassment that you guys are worried about, don't be. But like you said, if you two aren't interested then we'll just let it go."

Rey eased up, letting her arms fall to her side. She knew he was right. Her friends were family and so understanding. And Ben seemed to have a strong closeness to Hux and Phasma. They expected the teasing and all the unnecessary attention, but at the end of the day everyone minded their own business. What was between her and Ben was only between the two of them. _Maybe she was only mad at herself_.

_**~iii. Music Doesn't Lie~** _

Another great amenity of the penthouse suite was the full entertainment system available in the comfort of their hotel room. There were flat screen televisions in every bedroom including the living room, and a fully equipped entertainment system with a media player, sound bar, gaming consoles, and best of all a vinyl record player for Ben and Phasma to hook up and listen to the LPs they bought earlier that day.

Ben picked up an old Black Keys album that he got for a steal at the record store. He couldn't believe he was missing this record in his collection more than he couldn't believe he found a good used copy in almost mint condition. He took the disc out and set it in place, guiding the needle to a specific song.

"Hey Phas, listen to this one," he got his friend's attention.

"This a new song?"

"No, it's an old record from 2010. I'm surprised I found the LP. Was sold out when the album first came out."

They listened to the first few instrumental bars in silence.

"Damn, that riff sounds cool," she noted.

"Yeah, it's my favorite song in the album. It's so bluesy," Ben nodded his head to the beat. "So glad I found this. The song sounds so much better on vinyl."

"Yeah this is an old one," she recognized the tune. "Still good though."

Ben continued getting lost in the music. So much that he let the lyrics speak to him. And the words… they were eerily poignant.

**_I wanted love, I needed love, Most of all, most of all. Someone said true love was dead, And I'm bound to fall, bound to fall, For you. Oh, what can I do? Yeah. Take my badge but my heart remains-_ **

"Ben? Hello?" Phasma waved a hand in front of him.

"Huh?" he shook his head, snapping out of his musical hypnosis.

"Getting lost in the music?" she snickered.

"Oh… yeah sorry about that, just spaced out for a sec."

"Mhm…" she goaded him.

Too soon the song was over, to Ben's discontent. He was drawn to it so much that he lifted the needle to replay it.

"That's quite a song," she noticed he had put it on repeat.

"Yeah, got a nice rhythm to it," he pointed out.

"And lyrics," she added.

"That too I guess."

Phasma simply laughed.

"What?" he was confused.

"Oh please, are you even trying to be subtle?" she poked fun at him. "Obviously the music speaks to you."

"Yeah because it's good."

"Or because the lyrics relate to your current situation," she pointed out.

 _Current situation?_ He didn't immediately know what she meant by that.

"What?"

"That's cute Ben, but your naiveté doesn't fool me for one second."

"Okay for real, what are you talking about?" now he was genuinely lost.

"I'm talking about you and a certain female acquaintance you spent the night with… and other things," she nudged.

Now he understood. _Nope, nice try Phasma_.

"What? No, this song doesn't remind me of Rey," he defended.

"If you say so," she taunted.

"I mean, listen to it…"

He turned up the volume for just a bit for them to listen to the lyrics.

**_When I was young and moving fast, Nothing slowed me down, Oh slowed me down. Now I let the others pass, I've come around, Oh come around, 'Cause I've found…_ **

He turned the volume back down. "See… that's not us."

"If you say so."

"We just hooked up. Nothing is coming of it."

"Mhm."

"And getting hitched? We're fixing that when we get back."

"Okay."

"Feeling's mutual. Moving on."

"Alright."

"I don't have a secret crush on her, Phas!" he hissed.

Phasma wasn't saying a thing, but he was riled up anyhow. She was thoroughly enjoying this.

"I'm not saying you do," she said matter-of-factly.

"Augh, now you've ruined the lyrics for me," he scowled at her.

Ben would have to admit that maybe the song actually was half about his current situation, but there was no way in hell he'd admit it to Phasma now.

"Fine I'll change the song," she picked up another record and was about to switch discs.

"Hey wait, it's still a good song. Just let it finish and change the disc afterwards," he said.

Phasma nodded, smiling to herself. Ben was being so transparent right now. He listened to the song and briefly glanced out to the balcony, hoping she wouldn't see him avert his gaze… elsewhere. _She most certainly noticed._

"To quote Hendrix… music doesn't lie, Ben," Phasma told him. "It speaks the truth."

He rolled his eyes at her. That song had nothing to do with him and Rey… right?

* * *

_A/N: The song Ben and Phasma were listening to is "Tighten Up" by The Black Keys._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Wine And Good Conversation (Couch Discussion; And Then There Were Two)
> 
> "So Ben, what's your love life like? You know, aside from the one-night stand slash elopement with my best friend and all?"
> 
> "FINN!"
> 
> "Payback Peanut," he smirked at her.
> 
> Ben blushed. "Not currently in a relationship right now."
> 
> "More like 'it's complicated', but sure we'll go with that."


	8. Wine And Good Conversation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is the last chapter in Las Vegas. Hope you're ready for all the stuff that happens when they get back to Los Angeles!
> 
> Also, in this story, Ben is an Avengers super fan. So fair warning, I might spoil some movie plots.

* * *

**~VIII. Wine And Good Conversation~**

_**~i. Couch Discussion~** _

After a good lesson of learning the best odds and of course bluffing, Rose and Hux wanted to try their luck at the poker tables in the casino downstairs. Poe was eager to leave the room to have one last hurrah before everyone had to leave the next morning, so he was game. Phasma declined, as did Ben Finn and Rey, the latter group deciding to stay in and take it easy for the rest of the night.

When the newly formed gambling group happily departed, the girls sat on one end of the couch while the boys sat at another. Rey and Ben cautiously sat the furthest away from one another at either end of the couch. After their earlier conversations with their two friends instigating any 'chemistry' between them, they felt the need to make it a point that they weren't interested in a relationship. They settled in watching one of the Avengers movies, Ben's absolute favorite series – or as Phasma teased, his 'geeky fanboy side'. There were so many of those movies released that Rey wasn't sure which one they were watching since over the course of the years so many other superheroes made appearances in multiple movies (for the record, it was the first Avengers movie). When the movie finished, Finn got up to head to the kitchen.

"Anyone want a beer?"

"Sure, I'll take one," Phasma requested.

"Coming up!" Finn said. "Anyone else?"

"No thanks, Finn. I'm done with alcohol for the weekend," Ben politely declined.

"Wow, shocker coming from the guy who drank all of Hux's beer two nights ago," Phasma teased.

"What about you, Peanut?"

"No more alcohol for me either," she hollered at her friend.

Finn walked back with two beers in hand, taking a gulp of his before handing the other to Phasma.

"Come on you guys, one bottle of beer isn't even going to give you a light buzz," Phasma said.

"I'm not taking my chances," Ben and Rey chuckled.

"Oh boo," Finn teased them.

"Let's give them a break, Finn," Phasma said. "One beer might turn into ten then before you know it, you'll wake up married," she smirked. This made Finn laugh and the said married couple grow red in embarrassment.

"Ha ha. Okay, let's get it out of our system and move on," Ben tried to ease the conversation.

When the teasing ended – for now - the foursome engaged in a delighted conversation.

"So, Finn, I have a question for you," Phasma said.

"Shoot," he welcomed the discussion.

"How long have you and Rose been together?"

"Too long," Rey blurted, making Ben and Phasma laugh.

"Almost nine years," Finn answered before throwing a pillow at his best friend.

"And how old are you guys?" she asked the two.

"We're all 25," Finn and Rey answered together.

"Except Poe, he's almost 30," Finn said.

"That's why Poe swears he's our 'big brother', even though we are way more mature than he is," Rey chuckled.

"I can personally attest to that," Ben chimed in.

"Oh my god, why haven't you put a ring on that poor girl's finger?" Phasma was surprised with what Finn shared. "Have you guys ever talked about it?"

"Believe me, Rose is not subtle when it comes to it!" Rey smirked.

"Peanut, will you let me tell my own story?!" Finn glared at her jokingly.

"I'm sorry Finn but I've known you two for seven years, I'm practically part of your relationship. And Rose is my best girl friend you oaf! She tells me everything."

Ben and Phasma chuckled at the two friends' banter. Rey shot back and tossed a couple throw pillows towards Finn. Truth be told, Ben was also a part of Phasma and Hux's relationship due to the many years of friendship among them. Their friendship was clearly as close as that of Finn and Rey's.

"Okay no need to kill the man," Ben tried to help. "Finn, you were saying…"

"Ah yeah, Rose and I have talked about it a lot. We are definitely on the same page. But she told me that she'd only agree to marry me if I learned to speak Vietnamese so I can ask her father formally," he explained.

"Aw well that's kind of sweet," Phasma replied. "But what's taking so long? You don't want to do it?"

"Finn's been trying to learn the language for almost two years," Rey shared ever so fervently. "He knows French and Japanese but still can't speak a coherent word of Vietnamese!"

"You're going to pay for that, woman!" Finn lobbed the remaining throw pillows at her.

"What about you and Hux?" Rey asked after Finn was finished assaulting her with the velvet cushions.

" _Have_ you two talked about it?" Ben was actually curious. He was close to his best friends, but even he knew there were boundaries and one of them was to not pry too much in their relationship unless it concerned him or if it escalated too far. Then again, knowing Phasma's strength, he would probably step in to protect Hux from her assaults.

"We have," she said. "But, and Ben knows this, we were on and off for almost eight years. Also, with both of us coming from military families who moved around a lot, we want to see where our careers that takes us first before settling down. He's got tenure now, so signs are looking good. Though I told him if he waits 'til I'm 40 I'm dumping him," she joked.

"I'll probably junk punch him if he doesn't ask you sooner," Ben smirked at his best friend.

"Oh my god that's what we say!" Finn and Rey exclaimed. This brought on a roar of laughter among the four.

"So Ben, what's your love life like? You know, aside from the one-night stand slash elopement with my best friend and all?" Finn smugly added. This earned a laugh from Phasma and a gasp from Rey.

"FINN!"

"Payback Peanut," he smirked at her coloring face.

"Uh…" Ben muttered, super embarrassed and uncomfortable with the current topic.

"Come on you guys, we're all adults here," Phasma explained. "And it seems to me that Finn and I are the more mature of our groups so believe us when we say that what's your business is your business. We know you two didn't mean to get hitched, and we all know what it's like to get drunk and hook up." She said this as if it was the most casual thing in the world.

"Well said, milady," Finn clinked bottles with Phasma.

"Ben, you really don't have to answer Finn, he's already going to get a beating when this is all over," Rey said the last part through gritted teeth, making sure her painful jab was understood by Finn. He didn't fret at all.

"No, it's alright. We're adults, like they said," Ben said, blushing a bit. "Not currently in a relationship right now."

"More like 'it's complicated', but sure we'll go with that," Phasma said, sipping her drink.

"But pretty much single, Phas!" Ben scowled at her.

"Alright, I won't budge," she said nonchalantly, as if Ben ever scared her.

"Well, I recently got dumped, so it's not that much complicated for me," Rey tried to lighten the mood, careful to have her emotions in check. She didn't like seeing Ben uncomfortable, but she didn't even second guess herself if she'd break down by bringing up her personal life. The thought never passed her.

"Oh, that sucks," Phasma said, she reached beside her and kindly touched Rey's arm, trying to comfort her. "Was it serious?"

"We were engaged," Rey said in the bravest face. Oddly, she didn't feel like crying.

The men nodded, since they knew that. Finn's peripheral caught sight of Ben's nod, even the way he was looking at her in a gentle manner. _Whoa_ , he thought. had she told Ben about her relationship with Hobbie? She never talked about her love life, let alone heart break to anyone outside their circle. _She must really trust this guy_ , Finn thought.

"Aw what an ass," Phasma said, this time hugging Rey.

"No, I'm actually alright," Rey assured. "Finn and them, they took me here to just forget about him and I'd like to say I'm actually doing better. Haven't really thought about him unless someone brings him up," she said smiling, showing everyone that she was genuinely alright.

"Well we won't talk about him anymore, promise," Phasma smiled at her. Rey just met her, but she could tell that Phasma was a good person and was happy to know Ben had that kind of friend, just like she had one in Finn.

"Yeah well alcohol, gambling, tons of food... Those make for a recipe to forget my jerk of an ex," Rey said. "And hooking up with your friend didn't hurt either," for the first time Rey had joked about the situation she was in to people other than Ben. And it felt good. Seeing that Ben was chuckling, she was relieved not to get dirty looks from him feeling that she overstepped.

"Well I aim to please," Ben added to the cause.

There was something between the expressions Ben and Rey exchanged with one another at that moment and Finn and Phasma could have sworn they saw a spark. Nevertheless, they let their two friends share this brief moment.

"I sure hope so, man. Rey needed to get laid. It had been quite some time since her last one," Finn blurted. "Hob wasn't exactly on the cover of a magazine as a 'Sexiest Man Alive' kind of guy." He was going to get in trouble for that.

"I'm going to kill you now, Finn!" Rey cried out before jumping out of her seat and charging towards her friend, who in turn knew exactly how she would react as he jumped up immediately and ran away from her.

While Rey attempted to chase and attack Finn, Phasma decided to call it an evening and head to bed. She got up and was about to walk to her room before turning to Ben.

"She helped you too, you know," she winked.

"Goodnight, Phasma," Ben said through gritted teeth, trying really hard not to blush.

_**~ii. And Then There Were Two~** _

After running around the kitchen island, Rey managed to jump on Finn's back and smack him so hard he collapsed to the floor and winced in pain. She reprimanded him as if he were a puppy who chewed up her favorite shoes. He begged for mercy as she had his arm at a twist hold and the two laughed it off before he decided to hit the gym before it got late. When Finn left, Rey went back over to the couch and plopped down where Phasma had sat, a cushion or two from Ben. He had enjoyed watching them wrestle and just relaxed on the couch once Phasma left, taking a breather from an eventful weekend.

"Where'd Phasma go?"

"She's an early bird," Ben explained.

"Ah," she replied.

She was fidgeting with her thumbs, not really knowing what to do. She and Ben hadn't been alone together since the events that unraveled that morning. A part of her wanted to go to her room as to not make things any more awkward, but another part of her wanted to stay and be near him. He seemed to be fighting with the same internal struggle as well.

"I'm not really that tired to be honest." Ben spoke after a couple minutes of silence, which startled Rey.

"Yeah me neither. I've got all this energy from decking Finn," she joked.

"We could watch another movie?" he suggested.

"Yeah sure. Is there another one of those Avenger movies? I love Chris Hemsworth, he's such a dreamy Thor," she ogled.

"Figures. You like the one with the accent," he playfully rolled his eyes.

"Accents are sexy," she declared.

"Are you just saying that because you have a sexy accent too?" he impishly winked.

"Maybe," she trifled back.

This random playfulness sprung out of nowhere and the two were getting caught up in the moment. They were trying to read each other's eyes, seeing if someone would make the next move. Though instead of taking advantage of the moment, they both held back as to not have a repeat of the night before.

"Um, so…" he cleared his throat.

"Right," she came back to reality. "The movie," she said.

Dismissing their sudden toying, Ben queued up the movie and they settled in.

Halfway through the movie they didn't know how it happened, but Rey ended up nuzzling next to Ben's side with his arm wrapped around her shoulder and the two sharing the throw blanket over the couch. Neither had opposed, and neither had questioned. It just happened. _Naturally_. He was grinning widely above her as he continued his attention to the television screen, hoping she wouldn't look up to see that ridiculous look on his face. He didn't dare to meet her eyes in the fear of blushing. She was in pure bliss radiating in his body's warmth, and content with relaxing next to a man she was treacherously allowing to get close to her.

They were in their own little world holding each other that they didn't even hear the slightest crack of a bedroom door, nor did they notice Phasma tiptoeing towards the kitchen. She stopped in her tracks to take in the view of her best friend sitting extremely close to a woman even she has grown fond of in just a few short days. To which she decided to forgo her desire to warm up a glass of milk before bed and snuck her way back to her room as to not ruin their precious alone time.

There was a scene in the movie where two characters, Natasha and Bruce their non hero names as Rey recalled, were talking privately in a bedroom. She was pouring her heart out to him after failing to seduce him into sharing a bath together. But he, despite reciprocating feelings, was pushing her away, warning her not to fall in love with him.

"I don't get it, why wouldn't he want to get with her? It's Scarlett Johansson for crying out loud!" Rey exclaimed.

Ben, the die-hard Avengers fan, was able to explain it to her. "He does, but he's the Hulk. He has a temper problem. He can't help it sometimes and he fears he'll get mad and accidentally hurt her. He's only trying to protect her."

"I don't get why guys use that as an excuse," she sat up a little. Though she missed his natural body heat on her shoulders, she was somewhat pleased that his arm was still slack around her shoulder. "Don't guys understand that saying you don't want to hurt a girl hurts more than just taking a chance?"

"You're asking the wrong guy," Ben confessed. "Unfortunately, I'm guilty of saying that to a woman," he chuckled.

"Why?" Rey was sincerely curious.

"I-I don't know." He was caught a bit off guard when she asked, even more flustered when he saw the naive look of interest in her eyes. "I mean," he cleared his voice. "I just… I guess I'd rather seem like a jerk to a woman than be someone who could break her heart. It's easier that way, I guess."

Rey let his words sit with her for a moment. She glanced over to the television and watched the characters further interact, thinking if Ben's reasoning was rational; if it would apply to the two characters on screen... and in real life.

"Hmm." As if she wasn't fully accepting his response.

"I know, it's a pathetic answer. But, at least for me... I don't ever want to be a reason for someone's heartbreak."

That note struck her. She felt a sort of deep twinge in her gut. She didn't know if it was instant grief from remembering that Hobbie had broken her heart. Or if it was a subtle way of saying, at least to her, that her tiniest of fantasies of being with him were an idea of pure fiction.

"Even if… there was a chance that that person may be worth it?" she asked in barely a whisper. She had turned back to him and stared directly at his face, doe-eyed, vulnerable, _desperate_.

Seeing her that way, listening to her words, feeling her vibe, something inside Ben clicked. It was indescribable. He had never felt this wave, this rush of emotions, and couldn't tell if it was good or bad. He stared deep into her hazel eyes, thinking that he wouldn't mind get lost in those magnificent orbs forever.

"…Am I worth it though?" he mumbled.

Rey didn't know if he meant his question literally or figuratively. But was he worth it? And was she worth a guy taking a chance on her too?

It didn't matter if she answered him because Ben decided to listen to his gut at that moment and do what he felt was right. Gradually he leaned in, closing the distance between them. Their noses lightly brushed against one another, Ben momentarily delaying the next part. It was his and Rey's last chance to back out before doing this, knowing it would just make things all the more complicated. With no protest from either party and Rey closing her eyes preparing for what came next, Ben raised her chin slightly with his free hand and tilted his head, lowering it and leaning in, intent to bridge their lips together.

Then the main door opened.

In an instant, Ben and Rey jumped ways apart, never making it to their intimate climax. All she had felt was his hot breath moments before their friends woke them up from this hazy fog in their minds.

"Don't tell Finn but I may be addicted to gambling!" Rose said.

"You were having a streak for a moment I'll admit that, Rose," Poe said. "At least you didn't get cocky like Hux and go all in only to lose it moments later."

"Hey blame it on my third Jameson and my $200 pot! I was on fire," Hux defended, not at all sad that he lost money.

"It's called beginner's luck, bro," Poe chuckled.

The trio walked in, heading further inside the hotel room. They were continuing to revel in their amusement when they saw Ben and Rey on the couch, both sitting almost on opposite ends like how they started off earlier in the evening and watching TV.

"Oh hey guys! Didn't know anyone would still be up," Poe said, plopping down on a cushion between the two - the one where Rey had been sitting moments before. She hoped he didn't notice the warmth of the cushion and would figure out that someone had been sitting there recently. With her jumbled mind, she wasn't really in the right mindset for Poe's teasing.

"Phasma went to bed and Finn went to the gym," Ben answered him.

"What did you guys do all night?" Rose asked, setting her purse on the counter as she moseyed over to the kitchen to grab a water bottle.

"We watched a couple Avengers movies, little mini marathon," Rey shared. She wasn't wrong. They watched two movies, though she technically lost track of the current one they were watching. "How was the casino?"

"A learning experience," Poe shared.

"A very expensive one," Hux huffed. Poe and Rose snickered at him. "Anyways, I'm calling it for the night. I'm wrecked. G'night!"

"See you Hux," Rose waved goodbye. "Well, I'll probably grab a shower before Finn gets back. I love the man, but he spends an hour in the shower after a workout and I got to beat him to it before he uses all the hot water," she giggled before heading off to her room. "Night!"

"Yeah I'm off too," Rey decided she needed to keep her distance from Ben before she did anything else risky that night. That, and since their friends were back, she highly doubted she'd have alone time with him. Not that she would admit wanting any more than she has had all weekend. "Poe, do you mind if I crash on the bed?"

"All yours kid. I'm actually going to head back out and meet up with a lady friend, so don't wait up," he winked.

"Ever the lady's man," Rey joked as she got up and hugged her friend.

"You know it," he said, hugging her then headed to the kitchen to grab a water bottle.

Ben had gotten up off the couch, seeing as everyone had been standing and he had been sitting the entire time. After Rey hugged Poe, she idly faced him.

"Um… good night," she shyly spoke. She weakly offered her arms to see if he wanted a hug. Since she had hugged Rose and Poe, it didn't seem too out of the ordinary.

"Oh… yeah," Ben said, walking a couple steps, giving her the quickest of hugs. "Goodnight Rey."

Rey sauntered over to her room this time, and immediately shut the door. She leaned against the back of it and stared blankly at the ceiling, sighing after a moment. Were she and Ben actually about to kiss? What did it mean? _No, it's good that it didn't happen. It would complicate things._ And she did not want complicated. After tomorrow she was going back to her usual life and Ben would be on his way. No kiss. No feelings. _Go take a cold shower, Rey._

She had taken a quick, cooling soak and slipped into a comfortable sleep shirt before settling into bed. Before she closed her eyes and let sleep take over, Rey had inattentively brought a finger to the spot on her lips where she felt Ben's hot breath last. She sighed, the crooks of her lips raising slightly before finally passing out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: A Courting Disaster
> 
> "I am sick and tired of your generation disrespecting the sanctity of marriage. Of commitment, of honesty."
> 
> "Your honor, we are in no way trying to disrespect anything."
> 
> "If you weren't responsible the first time, why should I even bother to hand out another chance?"
> 
> "Goodness of your heart?"
> 
> "I'll make you two a deal."


	9. A Courting Disaster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: If you've seen the movie, there's an easy reason for them to go to court and get their verdict. Wrote my own reasoning for the courtroom scene. I'm no lawyer so obviously not everything I made happen may have been fact-checked. Work with me here, people!

* * *

**~IX. A Courting Disaster~**

Come Sunday the weekend was nearing its end. There weren't any plans for the day since everyone wanted to beat the rush from the dessert back to the city. Ben, Hux, and Phasma left about an hour before the other group. This was only because Poe wanted to stop by a gift shop to commemorate this weekend with a little souvenir. The memento of choice – a shot glass of course. While Rose opted to go with Poe to the giftshop downstairs, Rey and Finn gathered their bags before leaving the hotel room.

"Poe wants us to grab whatever's left of the beers in the fridge," Rey reminded Finn when he walked past the kitchen.

Her friend snickered and checked the refrigerator. "As if there's any beers left. The man's got more alcohol than blood in his body," he joked. "And Poe owns a bar, that's more than enough alcohol to last him!"

"I have a feeling someday soon we'll find him at an alcoholics anonymous meeting in Beverly Hills," Rey added to the tease.

As Finn grabbed what remained of their stocked fridge – a bottle of beer and a half a bottle of tequila – Rey scanned the living room one more time. She fished around the throw pillows ensuring nothing was left behind. Picking them up, she couldn't help but remember the night before when she was in a pillow war with Finn. She laughed at that memory. Then she sat on the couch for a second. The same cushion where she and Ben had nestled together not even twelve hours ago. _Ben Solo_. If there was anything that she would get out of all of this was that she was able to experience her wild, off the books weekend with him. And although some questionable choices were made together, she admitted to liking the spontaneity of it all.

"Crazy weekend, huh Peanut?" Finn said to her as they stood at the entrance, looking around the luxurious suite.

"One for the books, that's for sure."

"Come on, let's go home," he gestured for the door.

"Back to reality," she said.

He hugged his best friend and the with one last sweep of the place they shut the door, ready to head home.

~.~.~.~

First thing Monday morning Rey met up with Ben at the courthouse to get their annulment processed. Since Poe had apparently been a witness, he opted to tag along in case they needed someone to help back up their requests. Though he didn't fool anyone – he just wanted to be there because he was such a gossipmonger. It was a bit weird for Rey to see Ben in their surroundings. Of course she was familiar with the place, it was Los Angeles and she lived there as did he. But since she had literally only known Ben for 48 hours, it was awkward to see him anywhere outside of Las Vegas. This just made all the more of their situation very real.

Somewhere in the universe someone had it in for Ben or Rey (or both). Everything seemed to go against them all morning. First, their 8 AM appointment was pushed to 10 AM. When Poe suggested that they grab some coffee in the cafeteria while they wait, they learned that the coffee machine was down. No caffeine to start a grueling Monday morning. Rey was not having it.

To make things worse, their original judge had been reassigned to another case and the one given to them was – in Ben and Poe's opinion - the grouchiest man alive. He was an older gentleman, someone who probably should be retired by now. He also did not like anyone under the age of 50. He thought the millennials were a lost generation. And don't even get him started with the Z's - seriously he thought they were pointless. Which is why even as they settled into the courtroom, Ben had a feeling he and Rey would not have an easy time. Even Poe couldn't find it in him to be optimistic for his friends.

The judge settled in his chair and let out an exasperated sigh even before the meeting began.

"Let's see... Ben Solo. Rey Andor-Solo. Yada, yada, yada… Request for annulment after forty-eight hours of marriage?"

He tipped his glasses to the bridge of his nose, observing the two people in front of him, then continued reading their file. When he finished, the judge, Anthony Snoke, set the file down and rubbed his forehead. He was already over this case before it even started. It was not looking good for the two of them.

"Alright," he grumbled. "Who wants to start?"

Normally he would be more formal, but Snoke as well wasn't having the most pleasant of mornings.

"Your honor," Ben's attorney, Sabine Wren, spoke up. "My client and his spouse would like to file for an annulment as they mutually believe that this union was made under the evidence of want of understanding. Neither party was fully aware of the happenstance when it occurred."

"Want of understanding… Is that so?" he belittled the attorney's words. Like he's never heard that about a hundred times a month. "And where were these nuptials taken place exactly?"

"Las Vegas, Nevada your honor," Sabine replied.

"Oh… _Las Vegas_ …" he grunted loudly.

He then turned his attention to the couple.

"May I ask how old you both are?"

"Sir, I'm 30 years old."

"I'm 25 your honor."

"Of course," he spewed.

He already figured their ages out just by looking at them. This was just a long drawl as he was worn-out with these types of cases.

"So, are you telling me that you two are too young to be married?"

Sabine nudged Ben to stand up. He stiffly obliged.

"No, your honor. We just both think we aren't ready is all."

"Not ready? How so?" Snoke sardonically leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms.

"I mean…" Ben looked at Rey for help, but she was too scared to move. _Sorry Ben, you got to take one for the team._ "This just isn't the right time in our lives to even think about settling down and making such a commitment."

"And why not? You two seem like a healthy young couple. You can work this out." Now he was just being difficult for the sake of it!

"Well… you see sir…" Ben gulped hard before continuing, "We had only just met last Friday…"

Poe, who was sitting in one of the benches behind Ben, shook his head and buried his face in his hands. Even he knew that Ben and Rey were not going to get off that easy.

The judge was still for a moment, glaring at Ben. Then he turned and fixated his stare on Rey, who nervously tried to avert her eyes elsewhere.

"You know, I am sick and tired of your generation disrespecting the sanctity of marriage. Of commitment, of honesty," Snoke spat. "Have you kids no respect for the foundations of loyalty? Of trust?"

The fearful judge's tone had evolved from tolerance to resentment. This was the last 'annulment case' he would do for some irresponsible kids that didn't care for their actions.

"Your honor, we are in no way trying to disrespect anyone," Ben retorted. "I respect her, she respects me. This is a mutual decision."

"Respect? What do you know about that? You kids think you're so much smarter, more confident. But it's really arrogance and ego!" he slammed his hands on his desk, causing Rey to shutter in her seat. She felt bad that Ben was getting a beating for them.

"Your honor," Rey finally spoke up. "We understand. We've owned up to our actions, but doesn't it count a little bit that we are fixing things in the most mature and responsible way as possible? We know this isn't right. That's why we are trying to fix it right away."

"No young lady, you're not owning up to anything. You made a huge dent and want someone to erase it as if nothing happened," he fought back.

"But sir, if that's not what annulments are, then why is it an option for us? If it's in our rights, then we are entitled to use it," Ben reasoned.

"Entitlement is what your damn generation ever thinks about," the angry judge griped.

Poe saw that his two friends were being crushed out there. Not wanting to just sit there, he thoughtlessly stood up from where he was sitting and chimed in.

"Your honor, you were young once, right? You know how it feels to be spontaneous, in the moment, in love? Or at least infatuation… We all go through it. We all make mistakes, and like Rey said we own up to it. That's why my friends here are doing what's best for them," their friend offered his help.

"Who the hell are you?" the judge sneered at him.

"I-I'm Poe Dameron, sir. A friend to both Rey and Ben. I was there when their nuptials happened. Now I'm here to help them reason with you for a pardon."

"Well, friend Poe. If you're supposed to be their voice of reason, why didn't you stop their nuptials from happening in the first place?"

He got him there. Poe didn't even want to share that he was drunk out of his mind to this soulless judge. Instead, he sunk back into his seat, giving an apologetic shrug to Ben and Rey.

"I've been in law for my entire life," he explained to the trio. "Was a supreme court justice for 15 years before I stepped down because of my damn health. I've seen it all, heard it all. You civilians think just because we have a court system, we can fix problems. When I was your age, we fixed them ourselves, or we knew better than to make stupid decisions in the first place. Federal crimes, civil disagreements… I take more divorce hearings than marriage ceremonies. The sacredness of marriage, companionship, partnership - it's romanticized so much that everyone does it like it's a damn hobby."

The three of them sulk their heads in shame.

"Let me tell you something," he started, "I've been married to the same pain in the ass woman for 40 years and even though I want to put a shotgun through my mouth every time she bugs the crap out of me, I still love her and still stay married. You know why? Because on our wedding day we made vows, we promised to stay together."

The judge saw the look in Rey's face. It was full of contempt and misery. He observed Ben's sullen demeanor, respectful enough to him. He hated these trials of stupid young adults breaking the bonds of marriage so early. But for a brief moment he felt sympathy.

"Look, I get it. Your dumb friend is right. When you're young you do stupid things. But I honestly don't see anything wrong that can come of this," he said to the couple.

"I'm sorry?" Ben was confused. As was Rey given that she wore the same expression.

"You two seem like you can make this work."

"Sir, we hardly know each other," Rey defended.

"Well, then get to know each other. Don't you kids watch those moronic reality shows about the misrepresentation of love? How anyone can even begin to believe that love can be a prize on a two-month dating show."

"What about free will? What if we wish to see other people?" Ben asked aloud.

"And you think an annulment with grant you free will?" the judge scoffed. "Will that teach you two to be more responsible?"

"I mean… it's a start," Rey meekly replied.

"It's a start, huh? How do I really know you two actually understand what marriage is?"

"Sir, my parents have been married for 30 years. And Rey's parents were together until their dying days. I understand what true marriage is. We both do," he gestured at himself and Rey, holding on to anything that can help them.

"Yes sir we do," she helped out.

"Your parents, huh? You're the son of Han and Leia Solo, am I right?" he asked Ben.

"Yes sir," Ben stiffly nodded. He didn't know where Snoke was going with this, but he was feeling even more uncomfortable bringing up his parents since this meeting started.

"Did they not teach you the meaning of commitment?" Snoke questioned. "I'm sure the son of two very prestigious people in their own fields would have picked up some things about loyalty."

"Sir, I don't see what my parents have to do with this," Ben tried to dismiss the subject.

Snoke grunted, seeing that Ben was trying to ignore the question. Rey saw that he was getting uneasy about the topic of his parents, so she tried to divert the attention back to their situation.

"You honor, we know how important marriage is between two people, "she spoke up. "And although what we did was irresponsible, we understand our actions well enough to respect each other and allow both of us to carry on with our lives separately so we can find the right partner to marry for real."

Snoke rolled his eyes. "Well you two are smart people. If you weren't responsible the first time, why should I even bother to hand out another chance?"

 _Is he serious right now?_ They all thought.

"Goodness of your heart?" Ben suggested. At this point they were desperate.

"Goodness of my h- okay, you're both ridiculous," the judge had enough of these youngins. Did they really think they could persuade him to an easy way out? Not this time. So, he decided to play with this. "I'll make you two a deal."

This prompted both their attention, as well as Poe's and their counsels.

"You two show me how responsible you really are, how respectful and understanding you are about the sacredness of marriage and I'll grant you this pardon."

Ben and Rey looked at each other, the first sigh of relief shared.

"How can we do that sir? We'll do anything," Rey implored.

The judge let out a disparaged laugh, a grimaced expression on his face.

"I want you both to stay in this 'marriage'," he air quoted the word, "for six months. Show me that you two can respect one another, honor your vows, and if you truly understand the commitment of being with someone through the eyes of the law, the eyes of God, or whatever the hell you two believe in, then I'll grant an annulment. You have up to a year before it's an official divorce and I'm letting you off with half that time."

"B-b-but-" they both stuttered.

"No. I've had enough of this crap. Every week I get a couple like you thinking you can charm your way into getting out of a mess. That's my final offer," he didn't budge. Sympathy and patience were thrown out the window as Snoke went back to being the forceful, scary judge they had had the entire morning. "Show me some respect for the laws and I will give you what you truly you want."

"Wait, but-"

"You've made your bed, and now you must lie in it."

"Sir, you can't-"

"Oh yes I can," he cut them off.

This time he stood up, towering over the two.

With daunting eyes, he spoke, "Am I missing anything else? Oh right. I now pronounce you, husband and wife. This meeting is now adjourned."

The cracking sound of his gavel pierced throughout the room, causing Ben and Rey's hearts to stop beating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Judge's Orders
> 
> "Can he do that?! Tell me he can't do that?!"
> 
> "Is it really that bad that you two have to stay married for six months?"
> 
> "YES!"
> 
> "What?" Poe asked, as if he were missing something.
> 
> "We literally have to play 'house'!"


	10. Judge's Orders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Now that they have no choice but to live together and face the consequences, the fun begins! The story from here on out will start exploring more romance. Rey and Ben will be getting to know one another (slow burn because they are awkward and clueless and in denial). But don't worry, with the constant teasing from friends, there's still tons of humor sprinkled here and there!
> 
> I guess the only warning in this chapter is the constant teasing from friends that Rey and Ben will shack up by the end of their six months ;) Enjoy! It's a funny one.

* * *

**~X. Judge's Orders~**

"Can he do that?! Tell me he can't do that?!"

"He's a judge Rey, technically he can. And he literally just did," Poe replied, trying to calm his friend.

"And he thinks we're entitled?! He's the entitled fascist asshole!" Ben scoffed.

"Come on you guys. This day was shitty from the start. After this there shouldn't be anything else that could ruin it, right?" Poe attempted to be optimistic, but neither Ben nor Rey could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Not after that fiasco.

"Aughhh!" Rey let out a guttural cry.

After the bizarre outcome of their hearing, Ben and Rey were pleading with their attorneys to see if they could get another trial, another judge, an appeal – anything. But even they had no answer that could please them. When the legal teams had left, Poe ushered his two friends outside of the building to the steps of the courthouse. They were still trying to grasp everything that just happened.

"Seriously of all the judges we get it had to be Snoke!" Ben said angrily. "That guy's a monster. The worse. Heard so much bad shit about him."

"Yeah, he took down the YMCA over in Wilshire without a care in the world and no second thoughts," Poe recalled hearing about that devastating news from way back.

"It doesn't surprise me he bends with the law to still get his ways," Ben huffed.

"That's what makes him so fearful and an arguably good judge, he's so full of trickery that it's evil. Which is ironic," Poe shared.

"Again, like I said. He's a fascist dick," Ben agreed with him.

"Guys! Focus! We still have a problem in our hands!" Rey cried.

"I don't know what to tell you, Rey," Poe apologized to her. He had no reason to, but his friend needed comfort. "I'm not above the law and that was your verdict."

"Shit," Ben cursed under his breath.

"Well what are we supposed to do?" Rey asked to no one in particular.

"I don't know… I mean, is it really that bad that you two have to stay married for six months?"

"YES!" Rey and Ben both shouted.

"Hey, I'm just asking," Poe raised his arms defensively. "But seriously, it's just a title, right? Go on with your lives. Then meet back in six months and put this nightmare behind you."

Rey shook her head animatedly, spouting a bunch of "no's" and started pacing about.

"What?" Poe asked, as if he were missing something.

Ben sighed, pinching the bridge of his noise to keep a searing migraine from forming.

"Our attorneys got the final write up. We are to live _together_ as a married couple for six months. Same roof, shared assets, everything. He'll have a counselor stop by every other week to make sure we are actually trying with our marriage and living together. And no infidelity, fraud, or duress… all that crap."

"We literally have to play 'house'!" Rey exclaimed.

 _Whoa_. Poe did _not_ see that coming. Well, neither did Ben or Rey.

"Okay, well there's nothing wrong with that," Poe tried to reason. "So… live together. Think of it as having a roommate. You don't have to get along, you just have to be around each other and share stuff."

"It's not that simple, man," Ben countered the thought. "Rey and I don't want to force ourselves in each other's lives, especially because of a court order. We both just want to move on and do our own things."

"He's right," Rey agreed with him. "Ben's a nice guy and all but we just want to go our separate ways."

"Then go on with your personal lives," Poe said simply. "It's really not that difficult."

"What if I meet someone or Ben meets someone? We're not supposed to date other people when we're married," she told him.

"Are you going to go out to the bars and try to find someone in the next six months, Rey?" Poe raised an inquisitive brow at her.

"Shut up, Poe. You don't have to be an arse about it," She punched his arm.

"Hey I didn't mean it that way, kiddo," he grabbed on to the arm she hit. For a small girl she can pack a punch. "What I meant was I don't think you two are going to purposely seek out other relationships. I mean Rey you're busy with work and Ben doesn't even go out."

"Remind me again why we're friends?" Ben glared at him.

"Hey come on, I'm just trying to help!" Poe defended.

"Okay fine, maybe that won't be a problem. But it's still inconvenient that we are being forced to live together. We've got a lot going on in our personal lives as it is. You know that, Poe," she reminded him.

"Guys come on. You both need this. Rey, you're crashing with Rose, right?" she nodded at him. "Weren't you telling me the other day you don't want to be an inconvenience to her and wanted to try to find another place?"

"Yeah but-"

"And Ben, Hux told me you lost your job. So, you're going to be low on cash for a while. Well, Rey can sublet with you for a bit. That way the bills are paid, and Rey can be out of Rose's apartment."

"But Poe-"

"It's the perfect solution for both of your situations, isn't it?"

They had to admit, that wasn't a bad suggestion - this coming from Poe, the resident clown of their respective friendships.

"I still don't know…" Rey was unsure of the whole thing.

Ben didn't have much of a reaction as well.

Poe groaned at the lack of compromise from his two friends. This was just blowing up in their heads too much. He angrily tugged at his hair and growled at them.

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Poe had enough of this and lost his patience. "You're not being asked to hold hands and promise to be soulmates, you're just being told to 'try' to be civil with one another. How hard is it to do that?!"

When Poe - the ever-easygoing person anyone has ever met - gets angry, it was real.

"I mean… I guess you're right," Ben eventually agreed.

Rey shrugged, giving up as well. "Don't think we have any other choice, so okay."

"Finally, we come to an agreement!" Poe raised his arms in victory. He reached for their shoulders and insisted on a group hug to which Ben and Rey obliged, seeing as their friend was only trying to be supportive.

When the embrace was broken, a sigh of temporary relief had settled in. That being said, the usual 'Poe Dameron' came back.

"I'm just going to throw it out there... You guys can have sex whenever you want. I'm just saying. I mean, legally you're bound to-"

"YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Rey yelled while Ben punched his arm.

"Hey ow! Okay, fine! Keep your marital bliss between yourselves… and the bedroom," he winked.

That was met with another punch on his other arm, this time from Rey. She took a firm hold of his neck with her arms while she was at it.

"Listen here Poe Dameron, you are _not_ going to play cupid with me and Ben you got that?!" Rey had daggers in her eyes and poison in her voice. "We are roommates, nothing more. And we are capable of taking care of our own personal lives!"

"Yes, Rey. OW! Hey, stop!" Poe choked out as he strangled under her strong hold.

Ben couldn't help the amusement of seeing the sight in front of him. A girl a foot shorter than his friend stuck him in a headlock.

"Alright, alright, I think he's had enough. He did try to help us out this morning after all," Ben tried to pry Rey out of the death grip she had on their friend.

"Damn Ben, you got to get your wife in check, she nearly punctured my adams apple to the back of my throat," Poe said while rubbing his bruised skin.

"Poe, I swear!" Rey barked before attempting to attack him again. This time Ben was able to stop her by weighing her shoulders down with his hands.

"Alright dude, no more teasing. It's been a long morning for us," Ben offered a truce.

When Poe finally agreed to stop the teasing (for now), Rey confirmed with Ben that she would move into his apartment the following day and that they would hash out other details later. They weren't sure about the whole ordeal, but they were giving it a shot.

~.~.~.~

Later that afternoon, Ben and Rey shared the news with their friends. Correction - Poe had told everyone via text. Hux and Phasma blew up Ben's phone. They facetimed him during their lunch breaks and pried a bit more about said court orders.

" _Wow Ben, such initiative to have a girl move in with you so fast."_

" _It wasn't really my decision, Hux."_

" _Still, what a vast improvement from your last relationship."_

" _Anyone is a vast improvement from his last relationship," Phasma laughed._

" _Shut up," Ben mumbled._

" _I'm so glad you didn't give Baz a key to your place. Dear god, Ben. What did you ever see in her?" Phasma told him._

" _Can we please not bring up Baz? I want to forget that part of my life ever happened."_

" _Oh right, of course. How rude of us to be talking about your ex-girlfriend when we could be talking about your lovely new bride moving in with you," Hux teased._

" _Another subject please!"_

" _Ben you're going to have to tidy up your place you know that right? Women don't like slobs."_

" _I'm not a slob, Phas."_

" _No you're not. But you've been moping around your place for a month because you got canned, and you've been lenient on cleanliness. Hux and I will come over tomorrow before Rey gets there to help."_

" _Thanks, but that's not necessary."_

" _Oh but it is, buddy! I mean we have to record this momentous occasion of our little Benny boy growing up and becoming a mature, responsible, 'married' adult. Oh, and take pictures of you and your lovely bride of course!"_

" _I need new friends."_

" _Yeah but you're not really the outgoing type so you're stuck with us, man." Hux snickered through the phone._

" _So, do you think you can handle it? Living six months with Rey?" Phasma asked him._

" _Sure I guess. How bad can it be living with a woman? You two do it."_

" _We're not talking about that, dude."_

" _What are you saying then?"_

_Phasma and Hux smirked at each other through the video chat._

" _We're saying are you sure you can go six months without falling in love with Rey?"_

" _What? Where did this come from?"_

" _Oh he's dodging the question babe!" Hux chuckled._

" _Who says anything about falling in love?!" Ben exclaimed._

" _He's right, babe," Hux said to his girlfriend. "Maybe he's already in love with her, that's why he's so cool about this living arrangement."_

" _Okay I'm hanging up now."_

" _Still didn't answer us!" both his friends teased._

" _Goodbye Hux. Goodbye Phasma."_

" _He's so in denial it's adorable."_

" _I know ri-"_

_*click*_

With that last remark, Ben shut off his phone. Sometimes his friends were a handful.

He and Rey could do this right? It was just a roommate arrangement. Nothing else. Just two members of the opposite sex, who happen to also be married and at least physically are acquainted, living together. _Alone_. _For six months._

"Ahh fuck," Ben said aloud. He had no idea what he was getting himself into.

~.~.~.~

Meanwhile, when Poe texted Rose and Finn the news, the couple opted to visit Rey during her lunch break with about a dozen questions.

"So, you guys are going to be living together for the next six months?" Finn was still trying to grasp it all.

"Judge's orders," Rey said reluctantly.

"Where are you two staying?" Rose asked.

"Ben has a loft in Santa Monica, downtown I believe. It's actually close to my work since Mid-City is technically in downtown also, so that's at least one perk," Rey said before taking a bite of her salad.

Finn and Rose exchanged animated glances.

"I'm sure there's more than one perk to get out of all this, Peanut," Finn winked at her.

"Babe!" Rose couldn't help but giggle, playfully swatting her boyfriend as he took a bite of his burger.

"Okay," Rey placed her fork down, wiped her mouth and looked at her friends squarely in the eyes. "I put Poe in a choke hold this morning so unless either of you want a searing migraine before you go back to work, there will be no talk of me and Ben falling in love just because we are going to be living together for a while."

"That's not fair, girl!" Rose whined.

"Yes, it is most definitely fair," Rey stood her ground. "I don't see why it's not."

"Oh my gawwd," Finn almost choked on his french fries from laughing too hard. "It's so obvious Rey."

"What is?"

"That you two like each other," Rose finished for him. She took a crisp bite of her pita chips for emphasis.

"We do not!" Rey glared at her friends. "At least not in that way!"

"Well what other way can you describe mutual sexual attraction, then?" Rose bluntly challenged.

It took every fiber in Rey's being not to let herself grow red.

"Sexual attraction doesn't automatically mean you like someone," she defended.

"So you _do_ think he's hot?" Finn wiggled his eyebrows.

"Yeah she does," her friend smirked.

"I'm not going to merit that with a response," Rey continued trying her best not to let her face get hot.

Finn snorted so loud that the people sitting at other tables around them looked over to see what all the commotion was about.

"How much do you want to bet that they will get together?" Finn said to his girlfriend.

"That's not fair, we all know they will!"

"Okay, then we should start like a pool or something to see how long it takes."

"Oh that's a better idea! Count me in!"

"I can hear you two, you know that right?" Rey rolled her eyes at them.

"First rule of gambling that Poe taught me was to _always_ place a bet on a sure thing," Rose said confidently.

"I need new friends," Rey grumbled.

"Oh come on, Peanut! We're only playing with you… for the most part."

"See ya," Rey was ready to get up and leave.

"Hey come on," he pleaded. "We'll stop alright?"

"Fine. No more of that falling in love crap for the rest of the day, deal?"

"Deal." They unwillingly obliged.

"On a serious note, do you think you and Ben can handle this court order thing for that long?" Rose asked.

"I think so," Rey said. "I mean it's only six months. And like Poe said, we're treating it like we're roommates. How bad could it be?"

She took another bite into her salad, pondering her own thoughts. Meanwhile, Finn and Rose exchanged looks again, this time actually believing something may come from this. Hopefully, they thought, it would be a good thing for Rey.

How bad could it actually be, right? Rey enjoyed Ben's company in Las Vegas. He was at the very least nice to look at. This 'roommates' thing will be a piece of cake. Nothing complicated about it. _Don't listen to them saying you'll get with him, Rey_. She thought to herself. This will be easy… right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Move In Day (Roommates; Settling In)
> 
> "Let's put the bags aside. Ben, we'll bring them to your room for now?"
> 
> "I can take them, it's my stuff anyway."
> 
> "No , no we're good. Plus, I wanted to show Rose this... thing."
> 
> The others caught on.
> 
> "And we want to see it too, right Hux?"
> 
> "Yup, let's go over to the room and see the thing."
> 
> And for the first time since Vegas, Ben and Rey were alone.


	11. Move In Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is a fluffy (I guess) filler chapter. Like I said, even the filler chapters have some tie-in to the story so there's a reason for writing it. Preview for next is short, but it's a good one. Things get serious quick!

* * *

**~XI. Move In Day~**

_**~i. Roommates~** _

After work the next day, Rey packed her suitcases and a box of knick knacks that she was able to take from her shared apartment with her ex and was accompanied by Finn and Rose to Ben's apartment. It was on the other side of town from Rose's, but much closer to her office. Ben lived in a one-bedroom loft turned apartment complex a couple miles from the Santa Monica Pier. Although he wasn't a slob, Phasma was right that he had been moping around his apartment for the past month, so it was unusually messy. As promised, Hux and Phasma agreed to help him tidy up and move his weights and exercise bike outside to his balcony so Rey wouldn't trip on them and so the living area would be a bit more spacious. As much as they wanted to make this move-in a quiet affair, blame it on Poe for spilling the beans the day before, resulting in everyone wanting to revel in the moment when Ben and Rey were officially living together.

"Phasma, hey!" Rose greeted when they arrived. "Didn't expect to see you here."

"Hey guys, come in," she stepped aside to let the trio inside the loft.

Rey and Finn stepped in first, making their way to the living room.

Rose stayed behind for a second to talk to Phasma.

"Wow this place is huge," Rose observed.

"Yeah. Hux and I came over earlier to help Ben clean up. You know how messy boys can get," the two ladies laughed. "Also, we're just curious to see how this whole thing will play out with Rey and Ben," she admitted.

"Girl, that's why me and Finn are here," Rose giddily agreed.

Hux and Ben were in the balcony, neatly stacking his weights off to the side as to cause no harm when they heard Phasma call for them. The men stepped back inside Ben's loft to join the growing crowd.

"Hey guys," Ben waved at the couple. "Hey Rey." A wave of shyness washed over him.

"Hi," she returned the gesture; emotions included.

Rey was holding her box of knick knacks while Finn and Rose were carrying her three suitcases. They all stood in awkward silence for a moment.

"Let me help you with that," Hux offered to grab one of the suitcases Finn had.

"Yeah, here let's put the bags aside," Phasma got the hint. "Ben, we'll bring them to your room for now?"

"Uh yeah, that's fine," He said to his friend.

"I can take them, it's my stuff anyway," Rey offered.

She figured it out. They were trying to leave them alone.

"No, no we're good. Plus, I wanted to show Rose this… thing," Phasma tried horribly to think of something on her feet.

The others immediately caught on.

"And we want to see it too, right Hux?" Finn motioned.

"Yup, let's go over to the room and see the thing," a robotic Hux chuckled.

The four of them disappeared into the hallway before Ben or Rey could put in another word.

And for the first time since Vegas, Ben and Rey were alone.

He nervously fiddled with the hem of his shirt, while she averted her eyes away from his direction.

"Nice place," she said, taking in the surroundings.

She placed her box on top of the couch that she was leaning on. It was a comfy studio, a very open floorplan, making that small space seem much larger than it was. It had a few things here and there to make it seem lived in, but Ben was a bachelor, so it wasn't so much homey as it was a well-kept man cave.

"Thanks. I tried to clean up as best I could. Want you to have enough space for your things… you know for the time being."

"Ben you didn't have to," Rey felt awkward. "I don't want to be any more of a bother to you. Plus, I don't really have much stuff to begin with."

"No, it's not a bother at all Rey," he assured her. "But I mean, we have to at least make it a shared space for when the counselor visits every other week, right?"

"Oh right, forgot about that." Rey said. "Well, I don't think my little trinkets will make much of a difference here. We might have to buy a throw pillow or two to make it look more…"

"Homey and less bachelor pad?" Ben joked.

"Something like that," Rey chuckled. "A woman's touch is all we need to mix it up."

"By all means be my guest. Phasma has been complaining for as long as she's known me, I only ever decorate in neutral colors," he said.

"Well I can't blame you, grey is my favorite color," Rey shared. "But maybe we'll add a bit of blue or green or even red if we're being bold to make it colorful," she said and they both laughed.

If this lighthearted conversation could stretch out to six months, then maybe Rey and Ben will make it through with as little awkwardness and complications as possible. _Wishful thinking though_.

"Dude, how did you even score this sweet loft?" Finn asked when the others reappeared from the hallway. He was impressed by the view from Ben's balcony of downtown.

"Well it was originally a home office space my mom had when she started her company with my uncle. Luke lived here before they bought an actual building and he moved to Los Feliz when he got married. She kept this place though, was a good storage space until I came back from college and she let me take over the lease."

"That's so cool," Rose said.

They all settled into separate comfortable conversations until the front door of Ben's loft swung open. In stepped the ever-charming Poe with a crate full of various bottles of alcohol and a grin so wide the people in the space station could probably see it.

"Who's ready to partyyyy?!"

**_~ii. Settling In~_ **

After a group effort of convincing Poe not to throw an impromptu party that evening, Ben managed to get everyone to leave as it was still a weeknight and most people had to go to work in the morning. Things started as how it would be expected when Rey was finally alone with Ben in his- correction _their_ loft- with absolute awkwardness.

Rey was sitting on a counter stool at the kitchen island and Ben was fidgeting with the coat rack next to the door that he just shut his friends out from. After a very awkward and elongated silence, Rey polished off her glass of water and decided to take some cups to the sink that we previously used by their guests.

"You don't have to do that I can clean up."

"It's not a problem, really."

Ben made his way over to the kitchen and put away the bottles of alcohol Poe had left behind while Rey finished rinsing the used cups. The effort to try to busy themselves was short lived as Rey finished her last glass just as Ben shut the refrigerator door. They stood awkwardly next to one another.

"So, I uh cleared up some space in the closet for you to hang some clothes. And the dresser next to the closet is all yours."

"Thanks, Ben. I hope it wasn't too much of a bother. Honestly, I don't have much stuff," Although thankful, Rey still felt like she was barging in – despite that this was a legal obligation.

Ben shrugged it off. "I hardly stored anything in there anyway. My mother insisted I buy an entire bedroom set when I purchased my bed frame. It came with two nightstands a tall dresser and a matching chest. She's a bit of a space artist," he chuckled. "And I barely had clothes to fill up my closet, let alone drawers."

"Well, being a girl, you'd think I'd have a ton of clothes but I either moved around so much or lived in a dorm, so space was limited and my wardrobe stayed limited as well. But thanks for the drawer space. I appreciate it," she gave him a warm smile.

"No problem," he bit his cheek, hoping not to let a blush surpass him. "A-and feel free to add whatever you want to the bookshelf," he motioned towards the built-in shelves that lined up the wall on the opposite side of the living room area. "I'm not too big of a collector anymore since I bought a kindle, but I just couldn't let go of a few books. All I've got here are random things and some model planes because well, you know, nature of my job," he joked with her.

Rey went over to the couch where she had placed the box that she was originally holding when she first arrived and brought it over to Ben.

"I don't have much to contribute to the book collection other than my Harry Potter and Jane Austen books," she sheepishly smiled while taking out her sets.

"Wow you really are English," he playfully jabbed.

This earned Ben a light tap on the shoulder from the book Rey was holding followed by a small giggle.

"Well the more the merrier! What else you got in there? Really feel free to decorate with your things. This place is very Ben and needs a touch of Rey to please Snoke."

Rey had little to nothing else in her box to show after handing her books over for Ben to add to the shelf.

"Like I said, I don't really have much. Rose gave me a candle."

"Let's put this on the coffee table," he suggested. She nodded and he set it aside for now.

"I have a few office supplies that I can put on your desk if you don't mind."

Ben signaled that he didn't.

"And this is a jewelry organizer that I'll probably put on top of the nightstand. Hobbie's apartment was decorated with his things, the only way you knew a woman lived there was that it was ridiculously clean and always smelled like cookies," Rey shared. "At best, I had a nook with a desk and that was where I was allowed to decorate with my things."

Ben only knew about this Hobbie guy from whatever Rey had shared with him. Each new bit of information made him despise the man more and more. It's as if he never let Rey have any freedom.

"Well, this is Casa de Solo, and since you are 'Mrs. Solo' for the next six months, you are free to add a touch of Rey to the loft," he offered. "But no fuzzy pillows please. My mom decorated my childhood home with fuzzy rugs and throw pillows. They were soft, but my dad's old mutt Chewie lived up to his name and not only ever chewed up the throw pillows, but also pissed on them as well. I don't think I have to tell you about a dreadful time I laid my head on one of those pillows and met a warm yellow substance with my face." This story made Rey fake a gag and laugh. "Therefore, please. No fuzzy pillows," he chuckled.

"Duly noted," she fingered the 'ok' sign at him.

When they were finished adding her books to the collection, Ben got up to put the candle on the coffee table and her office supplies on the desk. Rey curiously observed some of his belongings on the other shelves. She was impressed with the old plane models displayed. He shared with her the night they met in Vegas that he and his dad bonded over model airplanes when he was younger. They'd take an entire day to finish gluing a plane together, and he'd always get in trouble by his mom for staying up way past his bedtime.

There was also a Dodger's pennant, an encased signed Sandy Koufax baseball card, and a Clayton Kershaw bobble head on another shelf.

"Baseball fan? How typically American," she jabbed back at him from his 'English' remark earlier.

"Touché," he chuckled.

There were also some framed photos of his parents with him as a younger boy and the infamous brown dog Chewie, as well as a college graduation photo of Ben, Hux and Phasma. Surprisingly she also saw his high school grad photo and noticed a cleanly shaved baby-faced Poe smiling with Ben and their friends. She had to make a note to tease Poe about it later. Then there was a photo of Ben and an older man who resembled his mother – probably the uncle who used to live there – smiling while the two men were fishing. There was one other frame; an odd one. It was on the second highest shelf, the one that reached comfortable eye level and Rey picked it up.

By this time, Ben came back to where Rey was with a few things in his hands.

"What happened here?" she asked him. The frame was a simple mahogany that encased a half-ripped photo.

"Oh," Ben said. He really should put that photo away completely. "That was a photo of me and my ex-girlfriend…"

"Oh."

"Yeah. I know I should toss the whole thing, but Phasma took on professional photography and that picture was the first professional photo shoot she ever took. She was the one who ripped it, said I still looked good even alone, or in her words 'solo'."

The tortured pun made Rey laugh a little.

"She's my best friend so I just kept it up. It's lame, I know," he nervously scratched the back of his head.

"Not lame," Rey encouraged. "It's supporting a friend. Besides, at least you've got photos. I've got a total of three."

She pulled out the frames one by one.

"Obviously of my friends."

She handed it to him, and he found a place on the shelf for it.

"Of me and my foster parents." She sadly smiled at the photo. She missed them so much.

Ben took it from her and lightly grinned, finding a suitable place for it on the shelf.

"And…"

Finally, Rey pulled out a simple grey framed photo about the same size as his and handed it to him.

"A lighthouse," Ben was amused. Surely it was a beautiful photo, the deep blue ocean surrounding the remote landmark was almost idyllic for the towering white building.

"Yeah, I kind of had a thing for lighthouses after I read Virginia Woolf one summer," Rey shared. "This was my lone contributing piece of décor in the apartment that fit into the theme of 'boring businessman'," she joked. Ben could easily envision her ex's apartment to be as monotonous as the man himself.

Despite Rey joking about the photo, Ben had a feeling she cherished it enough to frame it, so he decided to sit it atop the shelf, next to his ripped photo.

"There we are. Kind of completes the look, huh?" he grinned.

"It's perfect, thanks," she appreciated the sentiment. She stared at it for a bit, then shook her thoughts away, collapsing the box so she could set it aside for later.

Ben was staring at her for a second, wondering the importance of said photo. _Maybe she'll tell me about it someday,_ he thought.

"So what have you got there?" she motioned at the objects he was holding in his hands.

"Oh, uhhh…" he wasn't sure how to explain this next part. "Well, Hux brought up a good point that we probably should put up one of our weddings photos…"

Rey was startled for a second, but she understood Hux's reasoning – even though he most likely had more than one reason.

"I guess that makes sense," she said.

Ben handed over the stack of photos and started opening the back of an empty frame while she looked through the pile.

"It would be a bit easier if we didn't look so drunk in every shot," she made them both laugh.

"Yeah, well… Vegas, right?" he chuckled.

"I guess, this is the least obvious one that we look sloshed," she handed him a photo.

It was – thankfully – one that was taken before they wore those ridiculous loaned outfits for their ceremony. It was in front of a backdrop of the Vegas strip, and Ben and Rey, though drunk, managed to smile lovingly at one another, while he held her in his arms. Though they weren't looking directly at the camera, it very much looked convincing that their sexual attraction could be mistaken for love.

"Uhm," Ben cleared his throat when he saw the photo she picked out. "Y-yeah, this is a good one." He quickly slipped the photo inside the frame and placed it somewhere on the shelf.

"I guess we can put the rest in like a photo album or something. Maybe place it on the coffee table. Show Snoke we have more photos of us?" she suggested.

"That's not a bad idea," he agreed. He made a note to buy a small book the following morning.

They admired the look of the bookshelf in front of them. Six years living in that loft and for the first time Ben's shelf was full.

"Right so, let me finish giving you a tour of the place," he offered.

"Sure, that'd be great."

Ben led Rey towards the hallway.

"So yeah, down this hall, to your left is the storage closet, then to the right is the washer and dryer."

"In-unit laundry, fancy," Rey teased.

"Yeah, it saves me a bunch of quarters and a trip to the laundromat that's for sure," Ben chuckled.

They walked further down the small corridor.

"And here's the bathroom. It's got a main door here and another door accessible inside the bedroom."

"That's convenient," Rey said.

"It really is," Ben agreed.

They reached the master bedroom, it was so spacious for having a king bed, two nightstands, a dresser and chest, like Ben had mentioned. The walk-in closet could have also doubled as another room.

"Wow, this is like another living room," Rey was amazed by the space.

"Almost, but I think it's almost ten feet smaller on both sides," Ben said.

He walked over to the tall dresser he mentioned she could utilize. Apparently Phasma figured the same since she had Finn, Rose and Hux place her luggage in front of the storage already.

"Again, feel free to make yourself at home. Honestly, I don't mind."

"Thanks Ben," Rey tried not to let herself blush at his generous hospitality. Although she knew it was a court order, she appreciated his kindness, nevertheless.

Ben and Rey stood in place, awkwardness filling the air once more around them.

"I better start unpacking then," Rey announced. She grabbed one of her bags and started unzipping the suitcase.

"Yeah, um… I'd offer to help with that but… I mean… uh…" Ben wasn't sure how to continue. He wanted to be helpful, but Rey would eventually start unpacking her 'intimate' articles of clothing. And although admittedly he's seen her with much less on, he was trying to be a gentleman.

"It's alright," Rey chuckled. She figured out what he was thinking. "I think I can handle putting away some clothes. Really, you've been so kind."

"Yeah no problem," Ben grabbed at the nape of his neck. He didn't think he was doing much, seeing as they were ordered to live together. Still, he wanted this to be as easy as possible for the both of them.

"I'll probably just grab myself a glass of water and get ready for bed," Rey said.

"Oh I almost forgot!" Ben suddenly remembered. He gestured for Rey to follow him outside, back to the kitchen.

They walked over to the space, Rey sitting at a stool at the kitchen island. Ben opened the freezer door and pulled out a small box, bringing it over to Rey.

"I remember when we talked about food that night that you mentioned how much you liked brisket. When I was at Trader Joe's this morning, I picked this up for you."

He handed her a frozen box of the barbecued meat.

"I know it's frozen, but don't knock it 'til you try it!" Ben assured her. "I got sweet bread and pickles too if you wanted to make sliders or something. So… yeah."

Rey was shocked at the kind gesture. "Oh Ben, this is just so thoughtful of you, thank you," she meant it. "We shall eat this tomorrow for dinner, alright?"

"Hey, I won't turn down barbecue," Ben happily agreed.

"You really need to stop being so nice," Rey couldn't help but blush.

"Erm," Ben was fighting his own blush when he saw her cheeks tinge pink. "Also, help yourself to the Keurig." He revealed the coffee machine tucked next to the refrigerator. "Extra k-cups are in the storage drawer under the breakfast table." He pointed at the small bistro set-up near the front door.

"Keurig? Okay now I just feel spoiled," she giggled.

"Yeah, well my mother went a little overboard when I moved in and bought me too many things to fill the loft," he laughed.

Ben returned the frozen package to the freezer and brought out two water bottles, handing one over to Rey.

"So yeah, this is our humble abode," he said. _Ours_. He needed to start getting used to calling the loft their home.

Rey took in a deep breath before gently smiling at Ben. She too needed to get adjusted to calling this shared space their home.

"Here's to the next six months," she raised her bottle to him.

He smiled back, tapping his water to hers. "Welcome home, roomie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Falling Into A Routine
> 
> "Hey are you alright?"
> 
> "Do you ever get the feeling that no matter how much time and effort you put into something, you just don't have anything to show for it?"


	12. Falling into a Routine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: If I haven't mentioned it yet, I like to sprinkle in quotes from SW and the movie I tailored this fic from. If you are familiar with the films, there are some quotes sprinkled throughout this story :)

* * *

**~XII. Falling into a Routine~**

Truthfully, that first night was the longest conversation Ben had with Rey since she moved in. After unpacking, Ben fought tooth and nail with Rey about sleeping arrangements – he would take the living room while she got the bedroom. It took a lot of effort but eventually she gave in. The next day as promised, after work they shared a meal together making brisket sliders. They engaged in a light conversation about his building, the neighbors, and the shops close by, but nothing too deep. After that, Ben and Rey went into an automatic routine of inadvertently ignoring one another, despite the friendly beginning.

For the first five weeks the routine consisted of Rey waking up at 7 AM and leaving by 7:40 AM for work since it was much closer now. Ben would be up right around the time she was finished getting ready so he could use the bathroom. By the time he'd be finished his morning routine she was out the door with a granola bar in hand and headed to the bus stop for her short commute. Ben would spend the rest of the day busying himself – often heading to Glendale to assist Phasma with photoshoots since he had the free time - then in the late afternoons he would work out in the patio. Rey would come home while Ben would be finishing off the last of his workout - usually on the exercise bike- and would make dinner while Ben took a shower. By the time he was done cleaning up, she would have finished her meal and was working on the desk on stuff she couldn't get to at the office. Ben would make his dinner and would usually eat in front of the television. Finally, Rey would finish up, grab a glass of water and say goodnight to Ben. The very next day they'd do it all over again.

Apart from asking a few things here and there, Ben minded his own business and Rey did the same. They figured that they should talk a bit more, but in some way, they still felt weird about the whole ordeal and were giving each other as much space as possible. Though oddly enough, neither one of them felt constrained while around one another. Granted, they hardly spoke, but there was no actual compromise needed between the two to cohabitate in the loft. It was just peaceful ignorance

One evening a disturbance in their unspoken routine occurred.

Rey came home later than usual, nearly 9 PM. Ben almost didn't notice that she wasn't home when he didn't smell of garlic in the kitchen.

He learned early on that Rey was rather fond of that flavor and used it in almost every meal allowed. He didn't argue though- he loved garlic as well. But he wasn't as skilled with cooking new things like Rey was. She was in her element in that domicile. He usually ate a high protein dinner of grilled chicken breasts and assorted vegetables or spaghetti and garlic bread – his cheat day favorite. This wasn't to say Rey wasn't a healthy eater. Her dishes were probably just more enjoyable. And to be fair, Rey only had dinner. While Ben had the healthy meals, Rey munched on simple snacks like trail mix and fruit, while Ben had a sweet tooth for ice cream, pastries or barbeque chips. That being said, he noticed Rey hadn't come home around her usual time of 6 PM by the time it he checked the clock after finishing his own dinner. Coming to the conclusion that she probably went out with friends to dinner, he went back to watching television.

Rey finally made it back at a late hour and when she opened the door, she hung her key on the hall tree hook followed by her coat, placed her purse and laptop bag on the small breakfast table and slumped groggily on a chair.

Ben, who had noticed her unusual conduct had looked over his shoulder to see Rey practically burying her face in her hands, looking as disheveled as he's ever seen her. He switched the TV off and made his way over.

"Hey are you alright?" He asked her.

Rey realized the aloofness she had displayed when stepping inside and unburied her face from her hands, quickly trying to straighten up in her chair.

"Yeah sorry, just a bit tired from work," she apologized.

"I bet. You're not usually back this late."

Immediately saying that, Ben regretted it. _Great_ , he thought, _now she thinks you're a stalker_.

Rey on the other hand was taken aback that he even noticed her these past few weeks. Not that she would admit noticing his routine as well. They just never broke out of their habits and the comfortable silence was far better than awkwardness.

"Yeah, I needed to catch up at work. Didn't get to eat dinner. Maybe that's why I'm so crabby."

Ben was leaning on the pillar next to the kitchen island and when he had heard Rey skipped a meal, walked over to the fridge.

"Well I haven't had my after-dinner ice cream, which I'm sure is going to be the cause of my diabetes when I get older," he joked. "Would you like a scoop?"

Rey sighed, showing him an appreciative smile. "Make it a double."

Ben scooped some cookies and cream ice cream into two bowls and walked over to sit across the table from Rey, handing over the treat. After a couple scoops eaten in silence, she suddenly spoke.

"Do you ever get the feeling that no matter how much time and effort you put into something, you just don't have anything to show for it?"

Rey saw that she had caught Ben off guard. Apart from the fact that it was pretty quiet between them – which it always was – she had blurted out such a profound enquiry that he wasn't ready for. So, she continued.

"It's like you're trying to come in first, but it's someone else's race. And no matter how much blood, sweat and tears you put into it… really, it doesn't matter."

She didn't expect a response. Really, she should've stayed quiet, but it just wasn't her day and she just felt like speaking her thoughts aloud.

"Well," Ben finally shook himself from the sudden outburst and tried forming a coherent response. "Why put in the work then if you know you won't get the satisfaction or the recognition?"

Rey looked at Ben, trying to process what he said. By her stare though, Ben feared that he may have said something wrong.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't assume..."

"No, no, I really appreciate the honesty. I mean I love Rose to death but she's usually the optimist and right now I need truth."

"Oh… you're welcome?" Ben wasn't sure how to answer.

A laugh escaped from Rey's mouth. She was just as surprised herself for doing do. It felt good to laugh. It helped relieve her stress, allowing Ben to sigh in relief that he wasn't being a complete moron.

"Thank you, Ben. And I understand what you mean. Why do something if you don't reap the rewards? I guess… because when it comes down to it, the personal gain you get is much better than any kind of recognition."

"That's a very good reason," Ben agreed.

She nodded, but immediately frowned again, playing with her melting bowl ice cream.

"Except in this case I kind of need the recognition for a promotion," she confessed.

"Ahh," now he understood. He understood perfectly.

"It comes down to me and this other guy at work, Snap. He's…"

"Got seniority?"

"No, we've got the same position."

"An ass?"

"Not always. He's like…"

"I don't know, they're either too good or too douchey," he chuckled. "And he can't be too nice because you're like the sweetest person in the world," he said to her.

If she weren't so stressed from work, Rey would have blushed at that sentiment. But it didn't go unnoticed. She wondered if he realized what he said.

"What else could he be?" he asked.

"I'm trying to think of a nicer word for 'fake'," Rey held in a snicker.

"There's no nice way to say it," Ben chortled.

"I don't want to be mean," this time she couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright, well what about this guy?"

"See that's the thing. He's ever so charming, and great at networking, but he leaves the busy work to others, or takes credit for something he shouldn't solely take credit from."

"Oh, he's a brown-noser."

"Actually yeah," Rey agreed. _Brown-noser_. That was the perfect word to describe her coworker.

"And he's been taking credit for your work?"

"Not really. Well… sort of. He and I are planning the gala and while I'm doing the planning and cold calling, he gets to do the meet and greets and take clients to lunch. Why we split it that way, I don't know. But since he's doing the face to face meetings, he seems to be the one getting all the attention. I'm not even sure he even cares about the actual cause. Never once has he visited the youth centers around town with me. He's just good at talking to people and wants to make a generous paycheck with this promotion."

"Well that's not really fair."

"That's not even what got me upset today," she continued. "He likes to cozy up to the larger named clients on our list. Because he doesn't think the smaller businesses would even contribute a decent amount. But to me every penny counts," Rey assured him.

Ben couldn't help but smile to himself about the last part. Rey reminded him so much of his mother's work ethic. If the circumstances were different, he would've loved to take her home to meet his mother. _Whoa, Ben. That's getting a little too deep._ Immediately he shook that thought out of his mind and continued to listen to Rey.

"However, we do have some long-time partners with independent firms out here in LA. Snap was so focused on having lunch with First-Order Enterprises- you know, the huge shipping company- that he disregarded and never told anyone, not me or his assistant, that Mrs. Holdo at the Resistance Group was to have a meeting with him today as well."

"Resistance Group as in the local Restaurant chain in LA?" Ben loved their cheesecakes.

Rey nodded. "Holdo is good friends with our founder, Lando Calrissian, and ever since Snap joined the company, he's been the point of contact for that account. Now she's super upset and Lando is on business for a few days so he pretty much yelled at us over Skype. Snap was trying to talk his way out of it, but he failed. Lando got upset at both of us because even though he didn't blame me for anything, we are a team, so I could've done something."

"But you didn't know, it was that jerk's fault."

"I know, but it's not like in college where if one person slacks off, they get punished. If one person slacks off in the real world, it's your team's job to pick up the pieces."

"I'm really sorry Rey, I wish I could do something."

Ben decided to make a mental kill list for all the people that have done Rey wrong in her life. Hobbie, that prick, was at the top of the list. And now this Snap was being penciled in at that very moment.

"It's alright," she shrugged. "Just letting me talk about it helps. Thanks."

"Maybe you can call Lando and offer to talk to Holdo since Snap fucked up. Maybe you can still salvage it?"

"I don't really have to. Lando called us back after he cooled off. He said Holdo was willing to give us a chance, claiming that she understood how busy planning for a gala can be. But I know she's just being nice because well they're old friends. Snap jumped in saying he would fix things, but Lando assigned me to meet with her this time."

"That's great! Right?"

"Yeah…"

"But… Snap got mad huh?"

"Precisely."

Rey needed some ice cream for that. Snap was the reason for her bad day and this part of the story was the cherry on top.

"When Lando hung up, Snap decided to accuse me for sabotaging him just to get a promotion, when clearly I had nothing to do with it. Naturally I defended myself and he still chose to believe his own words. He told me to mind my own business and to not screw the pooch, even though he did, and that I wasn't going to get in the way of his promotion. Then he stormed off, but not before giving me a handful of paperwork I needed to fill out- which for the record was supposed to be filled out and submitted to the contracts department way before the meeting- for Holdo's company to process any donations they would want to give… if any at this point"

"What. A. Douchebag."

"That's my every day," Rey said mockingly. "He's going to make it hell for me as it already is until one of us gets promoted. And I'm sure if he's the one to get it, it won't end there."

Re-living that memory from earlier today, Rey scooped up the rest of her ice cream, hoping a brain freeze could help erase it from her mind. It didn't. Just gave her a headache.

"Can I ask you a question?" Ben asked after letting a beat pass between them.

"Sure."

"If all the work you're doing for Lando and the nonprofit isn't even being properly credited to you, especially with a douche of a coworker like Snap, then why do it? You're practically coming up short. With nothing really."

Rey didn't even have to think about her answer.

"Because I love what I do. Honest. I know people say that, but I mean it. After being in the foster system, I promised myself to help kids like me when I got older. And I won't give that up because some quick-witted coworker knocked me down."

He recalled her mentioning her difficult childhood when they were bar hopping in Vegas. Thankfully, they weren't completed sloshed just yet because learning that of Rey made Ben more aware an appreciative that she had trusted him from the moment they met. If he was being honest, he was hoping to gain more of her trust. Especially since he found it easy to trust her about everything. It just felt right to share things with her.

"That's admirable, Rey. It really is. But wouldn't you want to do more than what you're doing now? Your job description is outreach and planning and development. But you're just pushing papers. Sure, you're planning this event, but someone else is doing the outreach, talking to people, networking. No offense but other than paperwork and cold calls, you're left with nothing… I bet there are a ton of other companies that could use your talents for the better."

Rey thought for a moment. Really taking in Ben's words. She loved her job, that was a fact. The actual work she was doing lately? Not so much. Ever since Snap teamed up with her, Ben was right in saying that Snap took away all the meaningful work. Leaving her with nothing at all.

"Well, aside from the paperwork, because that's still important," she pointed out. Ben jokingly rolled his eyes prompting her to laugh. "I love what my organization stands for. Yes, the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club does the same for kids, but Cloud City focuses on the youths in the system who need help because no one else is helping them."

"Like foster kids?" Ben clarified.

"Like foster kids," she echoed his reply. "It was what I needed the most when I was a kid. And now being able to help those who grew up like me? It's worth the boring work. I guess… I'd rather do 'nothing' here and be happy than do something I know I don't love somewhere else."

She shrugged, glancing up from her bowl to see his reaction. He was awed by her response. It was inspiring.

"Words to live by," he sincerely smiled at her.

She thanked him and they continued to eat their desserts in silence.

"By the way," Ben spoke after a minute. "I know your time in the foster system is a very sensitive subject for you. So, thank you for trusting me to talk about it."

"I know you won't judge," she answered honestly. She smiled at him, showing she meant it.

"No I won't," he agreed. "But I can sense that you're still hurting from your past."

She nodded. "Yeah. It's just a mentality you pick up as an orphan. It's what makes me weak. My kryptonite," she tried to joke.

He looked at her with a confounding expression.

"But you're not weak, Rey," he said this as if she should've known already. It's what made him sound so genuine at that moment in her mind. "Sure, you have scars, but they're what makes you strong. They're beautiful," he said to her. "You're the strongest person I know."

She smiled at him, almost ready to tear up.

"And I'm not just saying that because you almost murdered me with a stick," he winked.

"Thanks Ben," she chuckled. "And again, sorry. But I didn't intend to murder you, it was just instincts," she stuck her tongue at him.

It only took five weeks but the two 'roommates' finally had a second _real_ conversation in the time living together.

Since that day, the dynamic had shifted. Rey and Ben still fell into their own routines, but some parts of it overlapped with each other. Little things like 'good morning' and 'have a nice day' were added, and Rey started cooking for two at dinner time. On the weekends when Rey took time off, she and Ben worked out together in the balcony. They shared meals together at the kitchen island and Ben also ate his after-dinner snacks at the breakfast table, which was next to the computer desk they shared at the far end of the kitchen. Rey started joining him with a scoop of ice cream or cut fruit before doing some extra work. And once or twice a week, she would skip working altogether and watch movies with Ben on the couch before bed. Ben found out that Rey hadn't seen all of the Marvel movies. The only ones she recalled were just the two Avengers movies they watched in Vegas and all the Iron Man movies because he was Poe's favorite and had forced them all to watch the flicks when they came out in theaters. A shocked diehard fan, Ben made it his sole mission to introduce her to the other 18 movies in the 'Infinity Saga'. Thus, Ben and Rey began watching at least one movie per week that she's never seen.

They were even able to get more comfortable and display their little quirks around each other, which until now each was slightly holding back. Ben was easily entertained so anything funny on TV would elicit a giddy cackle from his mouth. For the first five weeks, he'd suppress his laughter, smiling and trying to be quiet so Rey could work in silence. But Rey found his childish whims endearing, usually smiling to herself at how lively he'd get just by watching an amusing show. In turn, Rey would often times hum a tune to herself when she'd cook or just be lost in thought. Ben found this very relaxing, as he remembered when his mother used to hum to herself at times as well. He could tell just by her humming that Rey must have a beautiful singing voice. Not that he'd ever ask or mention this bit to her. It was just an observation. Rey also had a tendency to tap her pen on the table when she was thinking. It wasn't annoying, but Ben would smile to himself knowing that she was working overtime with her brain and putting in her all. He only wished he had that same drive. Sometimes he'd say over his shoulder for Rey to stop thinking too much, always offering words of encouragement and that would help her calm down and refocus. It worked almost all the time as Rey would take a deep breath, smile and thank Ben for his support. It was the little things they did around one another that made the other smile usually.

As they fell into a less awkward routine, they both thought that maybe they can make it to six months after all.

What could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: The Unexpected Visitor
> 
> "What the hell are you doing here?"
> 
> "Can't I check up on my lovely boyfriend for no reason at all?"
> 
> "Last I checked you and I are over."
> 
> "I'll be the judge of that."


	13. The Unexpected Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Two of my favorite characters to write in this story (besides Rey and Ben) are Poe and Hux. I didn't realize how much fun I had writing them as the comic reliefs. This is a pretty funny chapter with a pretty funny Hux. Enjoy!

* * *

**~XIII. The Unexpected Visitor~**

Hux had a recent paper published by the science journal, which was a big deal in his newly tenured position as a head physicist at Coruscant Academy, a private military school in Pasadena. He had facetimed Ben with the good news when Rey happened to be passing by behind him, also finding out about his friend's accomplishment. Thus, the pair suggested he and Phasma have dinner at their place to celebrate.

That evening, Ben and Rey decided to prepare Hux's favorite meal: Shepard's pie and bread and butter pudding – beloved dishes that Hux's grandparents would make for him as a boy. Rey was always up for learning new recipes, so she tackled this dinner as a fun project. Ben on the other hand was in a new element, so his lack of skills made for a messy preparation while he assisted Rey. Things got a little too carried away while they prepared the bread and butter pudding, causing an impromptu mini food fight with the powdered sugar that Rey was going to use to garnish the dessert. The mess started on the count of Rey making fun of Ben for the ridiculousness that he looked while sifting the powder and trying to steal a few handfuls of sugar to eat when she wasn't looking.

Once their little war ended, they needed to clean up before their guests would arrive. Ben volunteered to sweep up the powdered mess since he was the one to 'open fire first', so Rey headed to the bathroom to grab a quick shower and get ready for dinner. Since his hair was thankfully protected from the beanie he was wearing, Ben quickly tossed the garment in the laundry, smoothed out his messy black locks and went to the bedroom to change into a fresh collared shirt and jeans. He finally finished sweeping as much of the mess up as he could and had taken both dishes out of the oven.

Then he heard a knock on the door. _Perfect timing_ , he thought.

Ben moseyed over to the front door and swung it open with such vigor. In just one second, his grin had reshaped into a frown.

It was Bazine Netal, the ex-girlfriend.

"Hello Ben."

"What the hell are you doing here?" his tone was sour.

"Now is that a way to treat a woman?" Baz slyly replied.

"I can think of other words to better describe you than 'woman'," he spat.

"Oh Ben, you always know how to sweet talk a lady."

She lazily ran a finger down the side of his face, his jaw quivering with fury. Without invite, she pushed her way past his massive form and let herself inside the apartment.

"Oh, smells good. Have you taken up cooking, baby?"

Ben stiffly turned and walked up to her. "What are you doing here, Baz?"

"Can't I check up on my lovely boyfriend for no reason at all?"

"Last I checked you and I are over."

"I'll be the judge of that," she winked at him.

"Baz, I'm serious this time."

"Are you really still mad at me, Benny? I said I was sorry, jeez hold a grudge much?"

"Well let's see, you cheated on me – TWICE - and took advantage of me so many times I lost track. So yes, I'd say holding a grudge is absolutely appropriate!"

"Ugh, I didn't even stay with those guys. That's why I'm here. I choose you!"

"No, you choose my money, my loft, and my resources. Well guess what; I'm currently jobless, have a roommate and everything else is none of your concern. So please, leave before I make you leave."

"Oh, come on boo," Baz decided to turn up her flirting. She walked over to him and started lazily feeling up his chest until her hands began snaking their way around his neck. "Forgive me already. And I'll show you how sorry I am," she fake-pouted.

Thankfully for Ben, there was another knock on the door. He gently but forcefully took Baz's arms off him and walked over to open it.

"Hey dude, sorry we're late. Couldn't find close enough parking," Hux greeted him.

"Yeah, well we could've been here a bit earlier but Hux wanted to stop by the liquor store for some Guinness. I swear, your Irish roots get stronger and stronger each day!"

"Guys, we have a situation," he briefed his friends.

"What's up?" Phasma asked.

"Oh Benny, who was at the door?"

They recognized that voice. It was a nasally, pretentious, high-pitched tone that was deplorably unforgettable.

"Well, well, well, look who they let out of the brothel," Hux mocked.

The redhead never liked Baz to begin with. He was always civil with her for his best friend's sake. But now that they weren't together, Hux wasted no time in showing his true abhorrence for that horrible human being.

"Armitage," she said tautly.

Baz was shocked to see Ben's friends but tried to be the bigger person and not let them see a weakness.

"Baz, what are you doing here? Last I remember you weren't allowed back here?" Phasma asked irritatingly.

"And last I remember Ben is the one I'm in a relationship with, not you," she scowled.

"Actually, you two broke up," Hux corrected the unwelcomed guest.

"Not that it's any of your business, but I've changed," Baz huffed and crossed her arms proudly. "And I know Ben can change too and we are practically getting back together."

"No, we're not." "No, he's not." Ben and his friends said at the same time.

He motioned to his friends that he would continue.

"Baz, we're done. Look I know we have a history, but a tainted one. You weren't the best girlfriend and I wasn't the best boyfriend. But I've changed. And while you may think that change is for you, it's not. It's for me. So I beg of you, _leave_."

"No, Ben! I'm staying."

"The hell you are!"

"You stay out of this, Gwen!"

"Don't you yell at my woman!"

"Don't you yell at me! Ben! Tell your friends they're being rude!"

"Baz! Get it through your thick, dense skull. You and Ben are over! He's moved on!" Phasma vehemently told her.

"Oh he is, is he? So you mean to tell me that Ben's got a new plaything and you don't think I'm afraid to fight her? Because I will. Ben's _mine_."

"Too late, honey, Ben's taken. _Legally_ ," Phasma sneered at the witch.

 _Shit_. Ben had totally forgotten that Rey was getting ready in the other room. _Shit again_ , he thought. Baz doesn't know he's married. Wait, did he want her to know? But did he want to use that 'excuse' as an actual thing? Ben never really thought of sharing that bit about him with anyone outside of Hux or Phasma because as legal as it was on paper, he and Rey didn't seem to really acknowledge it. Probably because they both know it's a temporary status. So what's the point in sharing the bit of temporary news, right?

He wanted to stop Phasma because it really wasn't any of Baz's business to begin with, but if this was what it took to get her to leave before Rey was done getting ready, he'd do it.

"What do you mean legally?" Baz was puzzled.

"Like in holy matrimony," Phasma and Hux grinned so wide, their cheeks were starting to get sore.

As if on cue, the door to the bedroom flung open and Rey, freshly showered with a cute buttoned top and denim shorts cheerfully skipped down the small corridor.

"Ah, all clean now! When are Hux and Phasma supposed to come?"

As she finished her sentence, Rey finally entered the room and was met with so many sets of eyes- one of which she didn't recognize.

"Rey, hey!" Phasma pleasantly greeted the other woman.

Phasma went over and hugged Rey. She didn't usually greet her this way, but the two girls, along with Rose, were getting along so well that the hug didn't really seem off place for Rey. In fact, she appreciated it because she thought of Phasma as a genuine friend now.

"Hey Phas," Rey smiled, albeit a bit confused. She glanced between Ben and Baz for a second. "What's going on-"

"HER?! YOU SHACKED UP WITH THIS LITTLE TART?!"

Hux stifled a laugh. He just couldn't help enjoying Baz's plans fail. And his girlfriend was not afraid to take her down. As if this day wasn't already going so well for the redhead.

"This little 'tart' has a name, and it's Rey," Phasma frowned at the unexpected visitor. "Rey this is Baz, Ben's twat of an ex. Baz, this is Rey. Ben's _WIFE_."

If looks could kill, Phasma's leer had seemingly pierced Baz in the gut because the woman looked ready to implode.

Straightaway Rey had caught on to the important part. Ben's ex-girlfriend must have showed up unannounced and she had found out that they were married. Rey didn't know what to think about that. She and Ben never discussed sharing this personal bit with anyone outside of their friends because it was temporary. Sure, they've been getting along pretty well the past month, but they both knew it had an expiration date. Though oddly, she liked the sound of her title when Phasma said it. In fact, she was trying her best to hide her blushing face.

After the initial shock, Baz only grew more furious. Her plan to take Ben back was crumbling. She had to act fast.

"YOUR WIFE?! Are fucking kidding me?! Ben, I gave you five amazing years and you throw that all away to marry some fresh meat without so much as a memo to me?!"

"It's none of your business, sweetheart," Hux taunted her. "Ben's not your boyfriend anymore."

"I never agreed to that!" Baz hissed at him. "Ben, I know you better than anyone and we've shared so much together. You need to decide between me or this bitch-"

"Hey that's not nic-"

"You shut up, Armitage!"

Baz didn't care how she was speaking to Hux or Phasma or how she described Rey in front of everyone. She was enemy number one in her eyes. She turned back to Ben.

"You need to decide between the two of us right now who you want to be with. And I'm warning you, Ben Solo. If you don't choose me, I'm leaving and never coming back. No begging me for another chance."

"He never asked for another chance!" Hux said, this time he was just milking on Baz's rage. She shot him daggers, but it didn't faze him at all. He was quite enjoying it.

Rey had stopped talking long ago. She was quiet, trying to hide behind Phasma in case this Baz girl decided to strike. But Phasma needed to step away from the situation and let the three of them figure this mess out. She contritely patted Rey's shoulder and she and Hux stepped aside, waiting for this argument to be over.

"Well Ben?"

Baz crossed her arms and glowered at Rey, causing the petite woman to cower in more fear as she stood alone. She then turned to Ben and flashed her most flirtatious smile, hoping he would come to his senses and pick her over that other woman.

The spotlight was on him. His friends were anxiously waiting for him to make a move, Baz was becoming impatient, and Rey… Sweet innocent Rey, trying everything to not make eye contact with him. Her fragile appearance showed just how out of place she was, but she also seemed to be scared to hear Ben's decision. Deep down - and she would never admit this aloud - she was hoping he wouldn't reject her. Especially not in front of an audience.

Ben heaved a deep sigh and closed his eyes for a second before opening them again. This time, his eyes had locked at one of them. His resolve emanated through his body, standing straighter and more confidently, walking towards the woman he'd choose.

A warm touch had wrapped around Rey's waist. She had been staring at the floor since Phasma left her side, trying her best not to complicate anything for anyone, especially the unexpected visitor. She was taken aback, flinched a bit when she felt an arm wrap around her and then looked up. He softly smiled at her and turned back to Baz. It was a good thing he looked away because in that moment Rey didn't even try to hide her flushed cheeks.

"It's no contest, Baz. I choose Rey."

He chose her. _Ben chose Rey_.

"And I'll chose her every time."

Her heart fluttered at his words.

Baz's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. Phasma punched her boyfriend's arm because he was about ready to burst into laughter from Baz's expression. She looked over at Ben and gave him an encouraging nod to continue.

"Now if you'll excuse me, my _wife_ and I have guests over for dinner."

When Phasma had said that word moments ago, Rey was slightly amused. But when Ben said it just now while she was in his hold, her insides melted completely.

After a little bit of yelling every vulgar name she could say to Ben, Hux was able to drag Baz out the door and down to the lobby, making sure she went out of the building and stayed out. Finally, they were able to have a peaceful evening.

It took a minute for the air to settle into a comfortable lull. When Hux came back, they properly congratulated him on his achievement at work and they proceeded to have dinner. Hux was blown away by the food Rey and Ben had made. Phasma made fun of Ben, imagining how funny he looked trying to cook. Rey had mentioned their little food fight and she and Ben were lightly bantering about who 'won'. Phasma shot a knowing look at her boyfriend, the two noticing how their friend had gotten close to the woman he met in Vegas. After a nice evening, their guests needed to leave as there was work the next morning. Rey helped Phasma put some leftover bread pudding in foil wrap while Ben and Hux waited at the door, grabbing their coats.

"Well I must say, you host pretty entertaining dinners, Ben. More fun than our poker nights back in college," Hux joked.

"Dinner and a show, a great combination," Ben sarcastically rolled his eyes.

While Baz put a sour note at the start of his evening, seeing her face fall made up for it. Now he hoped that she was out of his life for good.

"So, what was that whole confession about?"

"What are you talking about? What confession?"

"You know the whole ' _I choose Rey_ ' thing, hmm?" Hux egged him.

"Well I certainly wasn't going to choose, Baz," Ben tried to answer him casually.

"Yeah, but all you had to say was ' _Rey_ ', not ' _I choose Rey every time_ '," Hux had said that last part in a mocking dreamy voice.

"Dude it's nothing!" Ben shoved his friend, trying to hide his colored cheeks.

"Nothing my ass, your face looks like you broke out into hives," he laughed.

"Thanks for dinner you guys!" Phasma and Rey had walked over to the men. "Whoa Ben, you alright?"

He glared at the smirking redhead before turning to the women.

"Yeah, just a bit warm in here," he tried to play it off.

Rey looked at him, saw his flushed face and grew concerned.

"Are you getting sick?" she asked.

Between Rey and her friends, she was the 'mom' of the group, taking care of anyone who was under the weather. So instinctively, she stepped towards him and placed the back of her palm on his forehead.

If Phasma was lost a minute ago, the look on Ben's face explained it all. She looked to her boyfriend, who was holding in his expression as well and she caught on, impishly grinning at what was happening before them.

Rey focused for a few seconds, really feeling for Ben's temperature.

"Well you seem warm, but nothing that calls for a fever. Maybe get some water or fresh air," she suggested.

As if whatever compelled her to touch his forehead instantly turned off, she then realized what she was doing, where her hand was, and that there was an audience around her. She quickly let go and fiddled nervously on her shirt sleeve.

"Such a lovely evening," Hux hummed pleasantly.

This didn't help the two people who were turning redder by the second. As much as Phasma wanted to join in on the teasing, she felt like they needed to give Ben and Rey a break. She said her goodbyes and dragged her boyfriend down the stairs before he made things even more unsettling.

Ben and Rey headed back to the kitchen and cleaned up, doing the dishes and wiping the countertop dry.

"I like your friends," she said out of the blue.

"I like them most days," he kidded.

"I had fun tonight," she smiled. Then it faltered. "Well… except…"

Ben stopped her. "It's alright, Rey. I'm sorry about that. Baz and I are over. She won't be bothering us anymore."

Rey nodded her head and continued drying the dishes with the towel. A bit more silence passed between them. When they had finished, Ben offered for them to have dessert. They scooped some rocky road ice cream into bowls and sat at the kitchen island.

Ben felt that Rey wanted to talk. He knew that she was being considerate and not asking about his ex. But he did throw her in the conversation without so much as a warning. He had warned Phasma and Hux when they arrived. It was only fair to let her ask a couple questions.

"Rey?"

She looked up from her bowl, surprised to hear him speak.

"I'm sorry you got sucked into the situation earlier. I didn't know she was coming. I couldn't run and tell you because I was trying to get her to leave before Hux and Phasma came over."

"It's alright," she believed him.

"No, it's not. She was a bad person who poisoned my life, much longer than I should've let her. And I'm sorry if I made anything awkward for you. I wanted her to leave and especially didn't want her to harm you."

"Thanks," she nodded curtly.

"Really, if you have any questions, I'll answer them. It's only fair."

Did she have questions? Did she care? Did Rey even have the right to ask about his love life? It's not like they were really together and sharing their pasts with one another. Sure, she told him about Hobbie, but that's because he had asked her what her reason was for being in Vegas. But, after the events that happened earlier, she was a bit curious of a few things. Mainly, why he would choose her, Rey – a girl he'd barely known for two months - over apparently a long-time love in Baz. But Rey being Rey was too nervous to ask him such an intimate question. Especially if she was involved.

"Did you love her?" she muttered barely above a whisper.

"Wow, going straight for the big questions huh?" he chuckled nervously. "No 'how'd you two meet?' or 'Why didn't it work out?'… cutting out the middleman."

This lightened the mood a bit. Rey smiled at him. If this was how he coped, she wouldn't push it.

Ben had to think about his answer. He was with Baz on and off for five years. He had to have felt love, right?

"I was in love with the idea of the kind of girl she was, the temptation she gave me. Baz well, you can see she wasn't a good girl. And my parents fought a lot. I'm not really a relationship kind of guy," he said, nervously scratching the back of his head.

"Sorry I broke your streak," she joked. This made him laugh too.

"But Baz was this fantasy, this want, and she learned how to control me. Soon I was five years deep in a relationship with her. On and off. But she used me. I know she did. I guess by letting her use me and letting this relationship not be anything too serious, I could count this as semi-committed," he explained.

Ben had never really shared his thoughts about his past relationship with Baz. This was a cathartic release. And he only trusted Rey with his deepest thoughts.

"But that didn't mean I wasn't an emotionless person. When she cheated on me the first time, it was a wake-up call. I tried to toss her out. She fought her way back and promised to be faithful. She got her way of course. But then she started using me even more. My money, my loft, and because she knew my mom had so many connections, she always made me buy her the most expensive things and take her to the most exclusive places."

"Sounds like a gold digger."

Ben eagerly nodded.

"Oh, and she knew she was. But she kept me on a tight leash. When I got upset with her for trashing a hotel room when she and her friends went to Cancun for a weekend, she didn't even care, like she was entitled to act up. She got mad at me for getting mad at her and slept with another guy again. I ended it and closed her off. That's when I realized I was never really in love with her. I was in love with the idea of having that bad girl. And being the non-committed type, it was the perfect situation. She had been trying to call and text so many times these past few months, but I went cold on her. Probably why she showed up unannounced."

"Wow… and I thought my fiancé breaking up with me was bad," Rey tried to lighten the mood.

"No, your ex is a fucking prick. Mine is just bat shit crazy!" Ben chuckled.

"Preach it," she said, raising her spoon to clink his.

"Well, I'm glad she's out of your hair, Ben. Commitment or not, you deserve better company than Baz," Rey sincerely replied.

"Thanks, Rey," he smiled. "You too."

 _So why did you pick me?_ Rey was pining to ask him. _Augh._ What if Ben was just playing it up for Baz to truly believe he didn't want to get back with her? _Yeah, let's go with that. Ben didn't mean anything of it_ , Rey tried telling herself. _We're good. This is good. Just a temporary thing_. But her mind was still itching to know what he thought.

They cleaned up their bowls and decided to call it a night. Before Rey headed down the hall to the bedroom, she asked Ben one more question.

"You swear there's no more crazy ex-girlfriends who will want to barge in here and steal my soul for taking you off the market?" she half-joked.

She really was concerned. Poe had a run in with a few 'ex-lovers' before and he'd share stories with Rey, Finn, and Rose about the crazy things they did to try to get him back. One instance included a girl climbing up to his third story bedroom window and tried to break into his apartment in the middle of the night to see him.

"God, I hope not," Ben chortled. "Don't worry Rey. Baz won't bother us anymore. Besides, if she knew how scary you looked holding a stoker, she'd back off," he smirked.

"You'd be surprised the number of ways I can harm someone with a stick," she boasted.

"I can believe that. You almost murdered me, remember?"

"Again, instincts!"

He really wouldn't ever let her live that down.

"Well, I better turn in now," she gestured toward the direction of the bedroom. Rey turned and started her way down the hall.

"Hey Rey?"

"Hmm?" She stopped in her tracks, turning a little too eagerly to face Ben again.

"Thanks for helping me out earlier. You know with the Baz thing."

"All I did was stand there," Rey giggled. "But you're welcome?"

"Well, you made it easy for me to choose you over Baz," he said brazenly.

_OH MY GAWW- Be cool, Rey. Be cool._

"Well I sure hoped you'd pick your wife over your ex-girlfriend, otherwise our whole ruse would've been unraveled," she tried to kid.

But who was she kidding? She was about ready to scream. And she didn't even know why she was so worked up about it all of a sudden.

"Fair enough," he blushed.

There was something in Ben's mind that made him be so bold at that moment. Maybe it was the teasing from Hux that got his brain all jumbled, or maybe deep down he really did mean something when he said those words. _I choose Rey every time_. He wanted to explore them but wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. Besides, this was only a temporary arrangement. He couldn't start having feelings for her now. _Right?_

"Goodnight Ben." Rey waved at him when she reached the bedroom door.

Maybe he'll think about the right thing to do tomorrow. Because seeing that beautiful woman staring back at him across the hall, Ben was certain that he made the right choice.

"Goodnight… wife," he winked at her.

Rey blushed and grinned at him before shutting the door. She smiled at that word. _Wife_. This day was officially the best, scariest, and weirdest day they've ever shared in the loft. And the sudden onset of nerves to almost everything Ben said to her were a relatively new feeling. How on earth was Rey going to last the next four months without wondering the meaning of everything that happened that evening?! Including her own fluttering thoughts!

"I'm in trooouble," she muttered helplessly to herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Poe's Birthday
> 
> "Poe's quite the lady's man, isn't he?"
> 
> "More like a man whore, but let's go with lady's man, sounds more grown up," Rose joked.
> 
> ~.~.~
> 
> "Guys, this Kaydel."
> 
> "How do you know Poe?"
> 
> "We're... acquainted."


	14. Poe's Birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: It never occurred to me when I wrote this story that there was an actual mini subplot. Apparently, it's about Poe :)

* * *

**~XIV. Poe's Birthday~**

Two and a half months have gone by since Rey and Ben started living together. Their bi-weekly check-ins with the counselor have gone well. They would be friendly, show the counselor that they had moved in and shared the space, and as the weeks went by, they started having more natural conversations that exhibited a developing bond. Things were looking good for the pair. What a rare thing to say about it.

Just as Finn guessed when they chatted out on the balcony in Vegas, Rey's time had been consumed with her project at work preparing for the summer gala. The only time Rey saw anyone aside from Ben was the night Hux and Phasma had stopped by, and that was only for a few hours. But, as Rey promised, she wouldn't miss Poe's birthday. She was looking forward to seeing her friends after a brief hiatus.

"Wow, Poe is really going all out for his birthday this year," Rey said when she stepped inside the bar to greet Finn.

"Would you expect anything less from the guy?" he laughed. "Besides, it's a milestone for him so a huge celebration is definitely in order!"

Poe, being the owner of the Cantina, had shut down for the night to host a private event: his 30th birthday. He invited his entire staff, his buddies at the rock climbing gym which he frequented in his free time, Ben, Rey, Finn and Rose, several 'lady friends' whom they were sure at one time or another have hooked up with Poe before, and even Hux and Phasma. To Poe, one friendly encounter was all he needed to consider someone an acquaintance. So inviting the folks he had only met once in Vegas wasn't anything out the ordinary. _The more the merrier_ , he'd say.

"Rey! Oh my gawwwd! It's been too long!"

Rose practically squeezed Rey until she couldn't breathe when she and Finn made it to the far corner of the bar.

"I missed you too Rose but I'm starting to lose feeling in my arms!"

Rose giggled and let go of her best friend. It really had been a while since they even had girl talk that lasted more than a few texts a day.

"Girl, I really hope your gala is awesome because you've been working nonstop! I could barely squeeze in a lunch date with you."

"Sorry, Rose. It's been pretty hectic. Lando decided to host the event in Catalina, so a lot more work must be done. He even gave me a second assistant to help out."

"Oh wow, Catalina you're so lucky! I bet it's going to be amazing!"

Rose and Rey settled on a couple of bar stools while Finn decided to scout out Poe to inform him of their friend's arrival.

"I'll have another apple martini please," Rose requested to the bartender. Then she turned to Rey, "Want anything?"

"Ginger ale, thanks."

"You're still on the no alcohol thing?" she was surprised. "I thought you were joking."

"Last time I drank alcohol I woke up with a husband. I'm going to lay off it for a while," Rey chuckled.

"Speaking of," Rose shimmied her chest playfully. Yep, she was definitely drunk. "How's married life treating you? Is Ben as _handsome_ as ever?"

"Rose!" Rey fought a blush.

"Hey, you said it that night we met him. I'm just repeating it," she winked.

After being upgraded to the penthouse suite at their hotel, Rey and Rose got ready together and Rey may have slipped that she thought Ben was good-looking. Rose encouraged her to have a good time with Ben, treat him like a rebound, so she could get over Hobbie. However, Rey wasn't one to have rebounds because she would never intentionally want to use someone for the basis of sex or even as a mere distraction. Little did Rey know that she would get into some outlandish shenanigans like marry the 'rebound' guy. Not that she ever considered him a rebound. He meant more to her than that. She just didn't really know what he was to her as of late.

"Yeah well given my circumstances let's just pretend I never said that," Rey sneered at her bubbly friend.

"Why, are you two not getting along?" Rose wondered. "Better yet, are you two going at it like animals?" she smugly grinned.

"Okay, maybe you've had enough to drink tonight," Rey tried prying away Rose's drink.

"Okay, okay no more teasing… for now," she teased. "But how's it going with that?"

"It's… going. We do our own separate things usually and sometimes we eat dinner together if we are home at the same time. Like what Poe said, we're basically just roommates. Nothing else."

Rey was being very selective with what she shared even though she was only telling half of the truth. In fact, they ate dinner together every night. There was no more 'separate routines' as they did almost all of their activities in close proximity to one another and if allowed, they did everything together – cook, eat, watch tv, sit in the balcony, sit at the computer desk, and talk a lot more than they've ever had. Was 'roommates' really the right word to describe them still?

"Oh reeeeally?" Rose quipped. "Then tell me this… why are you wearing your wedding ring out tonight, hmm?"

The day before Rey moved in with Ben, she had explained to Rose the court orders, as well as some rules that she and Ben agreed upon. One was to wear her wedding ring only when she absolutely had to, such as on their bi-weekly check-ins. The whole ordeal, while legal, was still uncomfortable to them at the time and wearing a ring on her finger made it almost unavoidable to accept the truth of the matter. Rey even promised to give the ring back to Ben since he did buy it for a lot of money. But that was ten weeks ago. As they got to know more about each other and their comfort level settled in, slipping the ring on was almost natural. Almost _right_. And those fluttering thoughts that were not leaving Rey alone were always tugging at her whenever she'd stare at her ring finger or be thinking of Ben. Luckily a small mishap a few days ago gave them both a reason to allow her to wear her ring more often. Something they certainly didn't mind at all.

"Because I almost dropped it in the sink when we had a check-in two days ago," Rey started to explain. "We almost completely freaked out, but we saved it from falling just before the counselor came. Ben and I decided that I just wear it all the time so I don't lose it. It's really nothing, just convenience," she tried being nonchalant about it.

"Oh sweetie, you can tell yourself all you want that it's just convenience, but you're face says it all," Rose snickered. "You are starting to like him, aren't you?"

"Where the hell did that come from?!" Rey was aghast.

"It's called reading between the lines, Rey. I'm your best friend of seven years. Give me some credit, I know you."

"Well apparently not enough because there's nothing going on between me and Ben," she defended herself.

"If you say so," Rose sipped on her drink, entertained by her best friend's denial.

"Rey!" Poe shrieked when he and Finn reappeared.

"Happy Birthday Poe!" she gave the man of the hour a big hug. "You always throw the best parties!"

"You know it!" he proudly said. "Did you just get here? Where's Ben?"

"He was helping Phasma with a photo shoot today. Going to hitch a ride with her and Hux to go here. By the way, that was nice of you to invite them."

"Rose and I bonded with Hux, and Phasma's a cool gal, the more the merrier is what I say!"

"Indeed, it is," Rey laughed along with the birthday boy.

Shortly after, Ben arrived with Hux and Phasma. Poe spotted them and waved for the trio to head over to their corner of the bar.

I can't believe you actually own a bar, Dameron." Ben greeted his long-time friend. "Happy birthday, buddy."

"Living the dream, Ben!" Poe beamed.

"Happy Birthday, Poe! Thanks for inviting us," Phasma hugged him.

"I got to admit, this is better than any college party I've ever been too. Happy birthday man," Hux greeted.

"Thank you, thank you! Drinks are obviously on the house. Go have fun tonight kids!"

With that, Poe was already being dragged to another part of the room where his rock-climbing buddies were starting some sort of drinking contest.

Ben, ignoring everyone else, immediately walked over to Rey and smiled at her. She smiled back modestly, and they casually made small talk together. It was effortless between the two.

"Um, when did that happen?" Finn asked Rose, Hux and Phasma, to which the four were only a few steps away, watching the 'married couple' interact seamlessly.

"I think you mean it's about time," Hux joked with Finn.

"And here she was telling me nothing else was new between them," Rose playfully rolled her eyes at the sight.

"I mean, is it really new? They've been flirting with each other since Vegas," Hux pointed out to everyone. "They're just being more open about it."

"Barely, but it's progress," Phasma added.

"Rose and I were going to place bets to see how long it takes then to get together," Finn said to Hux and Phasma.

"I give them one more month," Phasma claimed.

"Please? You know how slow Ben is admitting things, babe? It'll be close to the five month mark!" Hux proclaimed.

"Rey's probably just as slow!" Rose added.

"You know what, she's right," Finn agreed with his girlfriend. "She probably doesn't even know she's flirting with him!"

"My god if it takes them the full six months, they'll regret all the time they wasted flirting," Rose giggled.

"Yeah but think of how great it'd be for all of us to say 'I told you so'," Phasma joked.

They all laughed.

"Man, everyone who meets them can obviously tell something is going on," Finn added.

"Oooh we should open up our betting pool for a bigger pot!" Rose half-joked.

"It's easy money," Hux high-fived her.

"Just like Poe taught us!" Rose agreed with her gambling buddy.

"Are we bad friends for making money off of their relationship?" Finn joked.

"Nope," Hux, Phasma and Rose said at the same time. The four of them exchanged glances and laughed even harder.

Ben and Rey were in their own blissful little bubble when their friends finally interrupted.

"Ahem," Hux cleared his throat.

The pair broke from their conversation, suddenly feeling very shy. If it weren't for the dimly lit bar, their slightly tinted cheeks could've caused endless teasing.

"Hux, Phasma. Hey!" Rey went to hug Ben's friends.

"Rose, it's nice to see you again," Ben gave her a hug. "Finn, how's it going?" he shook hands with him.

"Just enjoying drinking all of Poe's beer," Finn chuckled. "Glad you guys came out tonight!"

"Well, we couldn't miss Poe's birthday. The man would probably kill us if we didn't show up," Ben joked.

"Yeah, you'll never hear the end of it if you missed tonight!" Rose agreed.

The group slowly dispersed into smaller cliques. Ben, Finn and Hux became drawn to the hardy banter from the chugging contest, taking their drinks (Ben opted for a coke only) and watched Poe beat almost every challenger. Meanwhile, Rey, Rose and Phasma stayed behind sitting at their little corner at the bar.

"Is Poe's liver going to be alright after tonight? He's drinking more than he's breathing," Phasma observed.

"Nah, he'll be fine," Rey assured her. "He's barely getting started."

"Poe swears that just because he's half-Cuban that he's got a steel liver," Rose teased.

"Oh no don't tell Hux that!" Phasma chortled. "He'll challenge him to a drinking contest because he swears and I quote, 'the Irish are the only ones who know how to hold their beer'."

"They already did when we went gambling in Vegas! They kept chugging their beers to see who would finish first. It was a close tie, but they kept insisting one of them reigned supreme," Rose shared.

They three women laughed at that ridiculous story.

"Poe's quite a lady's man, isn't he?" Phasma had suddenly noticed the number of women at the party who were vying for the birthday guy's attention.

"More like a man whore, but let's go with lady's man, sounds more grown up," Rose joked. "You didn't notice his nightly escapades when we were in Vegas?"

"I just met the guy, I didn't want to assume," Phasma chuckled.

"Poe just loves women," Rey said. "Tall, short, sweet, crazy – you name it."

"Crazier than Baz?" Phasma smirked at Rey.

"No one's crazier than Baz," Rey emphasized. The two girls laughed.

"Who's Baz?" Rose wondered.

"Ben's ex," Phasma shared. "I take it Ben told you about her?" she asked Rey.

"Right after the whole incident happened."

"Incident? You met her?!" Rose was shocked.

"She was about ready to murder me! Good thing Phasma and Hux came over to protect Ben and me."

Rose grew wide-eyed. Phasma nodded, assuring her that shit indeed went down.

"Why would Ben get with some crazy chick in the first place?" Rose wondered.

"No idea. Just a phase maybe?" Phasma answered. "She had that resting bitch face I always wanted to punch. That twat."

Rey and Rose laughed.

"She was manipulative, got Ben to do whatever she wanted. Which is why they stayed together for too long. Thank god he finally had the balls to dump her. This bitch is another level of crazy," Phasma explained.

"I can attest to that!" Rey high-fived Phasma.

"So what happened when she showed up?" Rose asked.

"Well she found out that Ben got married," Phasma shared.

"Uh-oh, dramaaa!" Rose dramatized.

"It was the scariest moment of my life," Rey shuddered at the memory.

"Please, Baz wouldn't even be able to harm you, girl," Phasma assured her. "Anyway, she had the nerve to give him an ultimatum between her and Rey. Obviously, Ben chose Rey." Phasma smirked at the last part.

Rey couldn't hide her evident blush this time. Rose noticed and started cackling.

"We've got to stop talking about Rey and Ben's secret romance before Rey spontaneously combusts," Rose teased.

"There's no secret romance," Rey grumbled.

"Denial's not just a river in Egypt!" Phasma played along.

"Oh that's a good one!" Rose complimented her cheeky remark.

"Can we please talk about anything else?!"

As much as she wanted to skip the subject about her and Ben with her friends due to embarrassment, especially given what they knew of how their whole 'relationship' started, Rey also didn't want to think about it or him for the time being. Ever since the night Baz had come over, Rey and Ben's dynamic shifted a bit. Sure, they talked about it over a bowl of ice cream, but since then Rey had been feeling some mixed emotions for him that she wasn't ready to figure out. On top of that, she was also feeling guilty for complicating Ben's love life, despite that Baz was a poison that needed to go away.

Ben was also feeling a slight shift in his and Rey's energy. He feared it was all his fault for putting Rey in the middle of a very uncomfortable situation. Since that day, he started making more of an effort to talk to her and try to get things back to a comfortable normal. However, he was often staying up at night still trying to pull apart his own words spoken. _I choose Rey every time._ He still wasn't sure what he meant by that, by Hux's teasing, or what these odd pressures in his chest meant when he thought of her. Honestly, he wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

Rey didn't want her friends to know what was going on between her and Ben – good or bad. Neither did Ben. Even though their friends knew they had to live together, and no matter how much they teased, they wanted to keep the personal things personal. At least until they each figured out their own feelings.

When the men came back to the bar, they spent most of the evening watching Poe do crazy dares while he was intoxicated. Poe was always one for a good dare, as everyone knew by evidence of that back tattoo. Towards the end of the night, many of Poe's guests had gone home, with the rest enjoying a nightcap and light conversation. The six friends had camped out at the bar for the rest of night.

Poe stumbled over with a woman whom he had an arm around.

"If this is what being in my 30's is like, I'm going to like it more than my 20's!" Poe announced.

"How do you even have the mindset to even still be walking? What with the 20 beers your chugged," Finn pointed out.

"I'm a heavyweight champion," Poe sloppily grinned. Then he turned his attention to the woman next to him. "Guys, this Kaydel. Kaydel, these are my friends Finn, Rose, Rey, Ben, Hux and Phasma."

They all waved and nodded back to Poe's guest.

"Nice to meet you Kaydel," Rose being the nearest to her shook her hand. "How do you know Poe?"

"Poe and I have had dinner a few times." She gave him a coquettish smirk. "We're… acquainted."

"Yeah, she's awesome," Poe gazed cheekily back at her.

"Sounds like you guys are more than just acquaintances," Hux waggled his eyebrows at them.

Phasma, although she agreed, smacked her boyfriend's arm for being too forward about it.

"We'll see," Kaydel winked at Poe. "So, how do you all know each other?" she asked the group.

"Rose, Rey and I met Poe when we were in college," Finn said. "We were at this bar one night and some drunk guy tried to start a fight with me. Poe stopped him and we just all became friends."

"Aw, you're their hero," Kaydel cooed at him.

"Yes I am," Poe boasted.

"Don't give him another reason to boost his ego," Rose and Rey giggled.

Kaydel snickered as well and turned to the others.

"And how about you guys?" She asked Ben, Hux, and Phasma.

"Poe and I were childhood friends," Ben told her. "We reconnected a few months ago when we were in Vegas the same weekend. He met Hux and Phasma there too."

"Oh Vegas, it's been so long since I've been!" Kaydel exclaimed. "I must admit, I've got some wild stories there."

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Finn asked.

"Oh gosh, where do I begin," she started. "My sister's bachelorette party we did a scavenger hunt on the strip. Had the stupidest dares like get a piggyback ride from a stranger. My 21st birthday we were hungover the next day but was scheduled to go zip lining – never do that!" she joked. "But the wildest story of all was when I graduated college and my friend Aayla and I went to Vegas, got super drunk and somehow managed to make our way into a VIP concert. Didn't remember a thing the next day, but then I saw people post stuff from the event and tagged me. Apparently, I made my way to the stage, kissed the bassist, and crowd-surfed! If I never saw the pictures, I would've never believed I did that!"

"That is pretty wild," Poe admitted. "But nothing beats the crazy that Ben and Rey shared when we were in Vegas last."

"Poe Dameron, I don't care if it's your birthday I will kill you," Rey warned him.

Everyone but Ben laughed.

"Why what happened?" Kaydel grew curious.

"Poe, please don't," Ben pleaded.

"What?! It's not like you killed a man!" Poe defended. "Plus, it was months ago, it's all good now right?"

"Okay now I want to know!"

Before anyone was able to stop him, he spoke up.

"In an act of spontaneity, Ben and Rey tied the knot."

No matter how elegant he put it, it still shouted ' _they got so hammered and shacked up'._

"Aww that's awesome!" Kaydel cooed.

Everyone but Ben and Rey laughed.

"Not to them," Rose said. "They got blackout drunk, didn't even realize they did it until their wedding photos were sent to them the next morning."

"What?! That's insane! How long have you two been dating?"

Again, laughs went all around… well except from two people.

"They just met that weekend," Hux shared.

"Kill me now."

"Yes, please me too."

"Oh my gosh okay you two win for the craziest Vegas story!" Kaydel shouted. "I mean, you two could've fooled me. I wouldn't have ever guessed you had just met, let alone got married."

"That's not even all of it," Poe started. "They're still married. Court ordered. Had a jerk of a judge for their annulment petition and he's forcing them to live together until he decides when they can separate."

"WHAT?! So, you two are a couple now?" she presumed.

"No, they're just legally married until they can get the annulment," Phasma informed her.

"But they don't like using labels so who knows with these two," Finn teased.

Rey was about to smack Finn and Poe and literally all of them, but Ben was able to stop her from inflicting harm on anyone, holding her arms down in defense.

"Okay, I think that's enough of a stroll down memory lane, hmm?" Ben ended it. He was feeling uncomfortable and was almost certain of Rey's discomfort as well.

"I'm sorry," Kaydel said to everyone. Then she turned to the pair, "But for what it's worth, it's almost sort of the most romantic thing ever, you know? A wonderful 'meet-cute'," she smiled at them.

Rose and Phasma were biting their cheeks trying their best not to laugh at her comment. They exchanged looks and then turned to Rey. She rolled her eyes at them.

"Oh, shut it."

~.~.~.~

Later that night when the pair arrived back at the loft, they shared a couple of waters and a light snack at the breakfast table to come down from the evening's events.

"Hux was right. I don't think I've ever gone to a party like that when we were in college," Ben said.

"Poe knows parties that's for sure," Rey said. "When we lived at the dorms, he always tried to get me, Finn and Rose to come to the Cantina and party. The man literally tried getting us to go out every weekend!"

"I didn't know you were a party animal," Ben teased.

"You're funny," she rolled her eyes at him. "We stayed in most of the time because we had to study. But when he did get us to go out, maybe like once a month, we definitely saw the wild side of him. His bar was always crowded."

"I don't know how Poe can still have this much energy at his age," Ben chuckled. "I start to feel sluggish by 9 PM."

"Maybe it's because you eat so much junk food, Ben," Rey teased him.

"Hey, if I kick the bucket in the middle of eating a burger and a milkshake, I'd die a happy man," he poked back.

Rey laughed at his remark.

"I get what you mean though. He's older than me, Finn and Rose, but he's got more energy than the three of us combined," she agreed. "And don't even get me started on his alcohol consumption!"

"He's probably got more alcohol than blood in his system," Ben jabbed.

"That's what I said to Finn one time!" Rey excitedly shared.

They both laughed about their friend's unhealthy fixation with alcohol.

"That Kaydel girl, she's got a handful if she's going to get with Poe," he said.

"I like her, she's nice," Rey grinned. "Might be the perfect girl to tame our little party animal."

"If she can actually tame him!" Ben joked.

"Hey, everyone can find the right balance with the right person," she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

With the sudden realization at what Rey had said, they both got lost in thought. The air became uneasy for them because of it.

"Uh, we should probably call it a night. It's getting late," Ben said.

"Yeah, I've got a lot of work to do tomorrow," Rey agreed, thankful that the weirdness would be over.

They walked to the bedroom to get ready for bed. Rey excused herself to the bathroom to change, like she always did, while Ben changed quickly in the room. When she stepped back out, they stood clumsily in place.

"Well, I better head to the couch," he pointed his thumb to the general direction.

She walked him to the door, for no reason at all. _What the hell am I doing?_ She thought. To be fair, Ben wasn't usually in the room by the time Rey finished getting ready for bed. But tonight, he lingered, for no reason at all too. _What am I still doing here?_ He said to himself.

"Well, goodnight," she said timidly.

"Goodnight," he replied.

Without thought, they gave each other a hug. _Okay, this is new_ , Rey thought to herself. _It's just a hug. This is fine. Totally normal_. When they let go, Ben felt the need to hold on to Rey at her sides. She too stayed latched on to him with her arms on his shoulder. _What the hell is going on?!_ Ben was so confused by both of their actions.

They gazed at each other, scared to move, even though this current position they were in was the cause of their trepidation. After god knows how long, Ben finally let go, prompting Rey to do the same. They stood awkwardly in place, not knowing why they embraced, let alone held each other at all. _Can this night get any weirder?_ Finally, Ben stepped aside and grabbed the handle to open the door.

"Sweet dreams," he said to her.

"You too," she said back, and he rushed out of the room.

Ben stepped into the hallway and shut the door behind him. He paused with his hand still on the doorknob, feeling a bit dizzy and suddenly very warm. What the hell was this breathless, agonizing, pleasurable sensation that was aching in his gut and in his chest?

Rey leaned against the door once he left, holding her breath, placing her hand on her chest. Her heart was racing faster than she's ever felt. Her palms were sweaty, and her face was absolutely flushed. What in the world was going on with her?

There was only one explanation to describe this feeling for both of them.

 _Butterflies_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Burning Bridges
> 
> "Well fuck him. Don't give him back his stuff."
> 
> "What am I supposed to do with it, then?"
> 
> "Let's burn it. All of it! Let the past die. Kill it if you have to... Or in this case, burn it!"


	15. Burning Bridges

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I like to write summaries/outlines of a story start to finish, and more often than not I write out of order. This was one of the first chapters I wrote for this fic. This isn't a huge plot point, but Ben and Rey get to know each other more and start to get closer. Stuff they talk about in this chapter and really any time they talk will be sprinkled in other parts of the story. Enjoy!

* * *

**~XV. Burning Bridges~**

It was another one of those horrible days for Rey.

While she and Ben made progress from when Baz made things weird for them, the obstinate group conversation at Poe's party brought back the all too familiar feeling of awkwardness again at the loft. Not to mention their unusual 'goodnight' routine and sudden onset of butterflies that happened the night they came home from the party as well. They still ate together, watched their Avengers movies and cohabited the apartment, but they were becoming more and more aware of their own feelings, which wasn't exactly sitting well with either person.

Today had been exceptionally draining and stressful, and Rey wasn't sure she'd want to talk to Ben about any of it even if they were on good terms. None of it mattered though for Rey when she came home because Ben was talking to the counselor who usually checked in on them per Snoke's demands.

"Ah, Mrs. Solo," he greeted as she entered through the door.

In the beginning it was a bit weird for Ben and Rey that she was addressed as 'Mrs. Solo'. Legally she was a _Solo_ but given the circumstances at that time they were still uncomfortable with any titles. But these days the title seemed almost natural to both of them, like she was fitting into her name just fine.

"Hi Mr. Pryde. Sorry I'm late. My meeting at work ran a bit over."

She quickly took off her jacket, placed her bags and keys on the table and lugged a medium-sized box from the hallway inside.

"No worries, young lady. Ben and I were just catching up on the latest baseball standings. Good thing I can't dock your marriage on the count of your husband's a Dodger's fan," the older man quipped.

"I'm sorry, and how many world series have your Rockies won again?" Ben jabbed at him.

"Hey now, don't let this beautiful lady become a widow so young because I have to kick your butt for dissing my team," he poked back.

Rey chuckled at them. This banter between Ben and their legal counsel helped ease her a bit from her rough day. It also reminded her that she couldn't show any signs of apprehension and that she and Ben had to please him so he could report back to the judge with only good things to say from his visit.

The usual routine went on. They would sit with Pryde either at the kitchen island, or on the couch, talk about the progress they've made, and if he requested, would look around to see if they were truly cohabiting the space. Eventually he stopped looking around, knowing quite well that Rey in fact had moved in with Ben. Though with the absence of observation came more conversation.

"Well, it looks like you two haven't gone and pulled each other's eyes out yet, so that's always a good sign of marriage," he kidded once again. "You two seem to be trying to get along and that's a start."

"A start?" Rey questioned that last remark.

"Look," he sighed. "I've worked with Snoke for many years, and although he is a very fair guy, even I would admit sometimes he goes to the extremes. Such as this," he gestured between them. They nodded in agreement. "And while I've made these past visits fairly easy for us because I would hate to be forced to live with and stay married to someone if it wasn't 100% a decision I made, Snoke is breathing down my neck to give stronger reports."

"Are we doing anything wrong?" Ben frowned. "We'd hate for you to lose your job on the count of us not cooperating."

"No, I won't lose my job," the counselor informed them. "But he is threatening to take my place and do personal house calls with you two if I don't give him more than just 'they are being civil and living together nicely' every other week. You know? And we're pretty much at the halfway mark now."

"So… what can we do?" Rey asked.

She and Ben could barely handle these bi-weekly check-ins. They'd absolutely die if Snoke were to stop by one of these days instead.

"Well, and I don't mean to be forward, do you two have any romantic feelings towards one another?"

They froze. Not daring to even glance the same direction. That was the million-dollar question these days, wasn't it?

"I-I'm sorry?" Ben stuttered.

"What I mean is living together under one roof for almost three months, having an intimate weekend before your marriage… One could assume that you two would eventually fall into a legitimate relationship. If it did, it would make my job easier and certainly please Snoke," he explained.

"Uh…" Ben and Rey sat in their seats disconcertingly.

"He's not playing cupid or anything," he reassured them. "Snoke just feels that those who go and request annulments so quickly may not have thought of their situations long enough to see if there really is a problem or not. Instead of delaying the eventual union between a couple, why not stay married and continue the relationship you're already happily in?"

"But Ben and I didn't have a relationship to start," Rey finally found her words after the initial shock.

"Right. I guess it didn't hurt to ask," Pryde didn't go further into details. "But it would help if you two divulged more into each other's personal lives. Think of it as building a really good friendship instead of a marriage for now. That way it shows that you're being more than just civil, but at least trying to form a bond, friendship or relationship – it doesn't matter, but it's a start. Can you two do that for me?"

They've forged an unspoken bond already - before Baz unbalanced it. They can certainly promise their counselor this. At least for Rey, she wanted to continue being Ben's… Friend? Roommate? Temporary wife? Let's go with colleague. This whole matter felt like a business contract anyways.

"I think that's manageable," Ben smiled at Rey, who returned it, then turned to the counselor herself.

"Yes, we can do that, sir."

"Wonderful," Pryde said as he stood up. They walked him to the door. "And who knows kids, maybe something good might actually come out of this. Whatever you take from this experience anyways."

When the counselor left, Rey went to the bedroom to change into some leggings and a cotton shirt, something more comfortable than her pencil skirt and blouse since her day had been very taxing. Ben started up the Keurig as they both usually needed a burst of caffeine after every check-in. Once he made coffee for them both, they sat around for a bit at the kitchen island.

"It's kind of late to make dinner, how about I order a pizza?" Ben suggested.

"You know what," Rey happily sighed. "Pizza actually sounds perfect."

Ben nodded and picked up his phone to quickly order on the delivery app.

"Sorry I was late, was he waiting long?" she said of her delayed arrival earlier.

"Not even. He probably came five minutes before you did. It's all good."

"Yeah, work is pretty busy these days…" She absently traced the outline of the cartoon character on her coffee mug.

"I know this is cliché or probably not going to make you feel better at all, but I miss being busy," Ben chuckled. "So long as you're happy, right?"

Rey mirrored his gesture. "Indeed. Still love my job."

When they finished their brews, Ben grabbed their mugs and put them in the sink. He prepped for their meal to arrive by setting out some plates and napkins. Rey decided to help too, clearing the counter of a couple of random things – some mail that Ben probably picked up right before Pryde came over, and a spiral bound large booklet of some sort.

"Whoa this is heavy," Rey underestimated the weight of the stack of paper.

"Here let me grab that. Sorry."

Ben hurried over to help her with the items she picked up. She handed him the mail first, which he tossed on the shared computer desk they used, and before handing him the bound booklet, she peered at the cover.

"Pilot Test Prep?" she furrowed her eyebrows.

She knew Ben had always wanted to obtain his license, but he never showed any signs of wanting to continue, especially since his father fired him from the job closest to getting one.

"Um… yeah. I was at the bookstore the other day. Saw it and just bought it impulsively."

She handed it to him and as he was about to place it on the desk, he briefly paused and stared at the cover for a moment.

"Are you thinking of getting your pilot's license?"

Rey's voice broke him of his temporary stupor.

"Honestly," he placed the book down and walked back to the island. He rested his hands on the edge of the counter, hunched over in thought. "I don't know."

Instead of asking 'why' as that would have been the natural next thing to say, Ben thought, Rey said something else. Because this was Rey. She wasn't just any girl; she was honest, and she genuinely listened and cared about his life… at least he hoped in his mind she did.

"It's a big decision," she started. "Something you've thought about for a long time. It's perfectly fine not to know."

She gave him an encouraging smile and a quick pat on the hand. That tiny gesture meant a lot to him. Lately he'd been having this strange feeling in his chest and in his gut, and they only happened when Rey was involved in one way or another. Ben didn't even want to peer further into that thought because… well because he just didn't want to.

Rey walked over to the cabinets and grabbed some glasses as well as the red pepper and cheese garnish. As she placed them on the counter next to where Ben was standing, he was still deep in thought from what she had said to him.

"I'm terrified." He sloppily uttered that it caught Rey a bit off guard.

Apparently, she wasn't the only one with surprise responses tonight.

"Then that means it's important," she softly replied.

She wasn't done surprising him either.

"I just don't want to fail… again. I failed my dad so many times. I failed myself every time I decided to go for my license. I'm just… It's my dream to become a pilot," he shared with her. "It's a scary thought."

By this time, they had sat on the same side of the counter, sipping on water bottles waiting for their meal to be delivered.

"Every time in the past that I decided to go for it, something would come over me and I'd chicken out," he sighed. "Hux and my dad would say that I made up excuses just to not do it and you know what, they're right. I'm afraid of chasing my own dreams."

This whole evening did not turn out how Rey would have thought. Honestly, she thought after the check-in she'd just retire for the night and try to sleep off her stress. But no. Instead, she was in the kitchen talking to Ben about his fear of failure. She would've never guessed it.

Rey thought about how to respond. With Ben, she never wanted to give stock replies if she could. She realized a few weeks ago how much their conversations weighed more than any conversations she had with her friends. He listened to her, genuinely listened, and she owed it to him to listen as well and give sound responses.

Did she know how he felt about being so scared of crush your dreams? Possibly. Did she know what to say to him to make him feel better? She wasn't sure. But she wanted to try. So, she decided to share a story with him.

"You know when my parents died, I was a mess. It took a while to mourn their loss but when I did, I had one goal in my mind and that was to leave London and go somewhere where I can continue to grow up and try to live a happy life again. Funny, being a foster kid for most of my life I was alone. But with just five years of being part of a family, I felt more alone when they left. I didn't know if I would make it out alive, but I left London anyways, and I came here. I'm not saying I'm a product of a dream come true, but if I'm still working towards my goal then I must say, I'm doing alright. I braved the hardest part, leaving. Everything else is just an opportunity after that."

She shrugged lightly, encouraging him with a soft expression. He gazed at her, surprised that she spoke more about her fostered youth with him. Whenever she spoke about her time in the foster system, it was a vulnerable side that Ben hadn't seen before. He knew it was a touchy subject, but she seemed to want to tell him, so that to Ben was a good sign. It meant that she trusted him. And if she was sharing this right now, it only meant one thing, that she was comforting him. And it was working.

"I haven't even taken the written exam yet, and that's just part one of a three-part process," he confessed. "I'm really scared, Rey."

Rey smiled at him this time, not a half or timid one. A full on cheek to cheek grin - one that showed him she understood.

"But you've decided to do it, huh?"

Slowly but surely, Ben nodded.

"Then… you've already braved the first part. Setting your mind to it. Everything else," she paused and placed her hand on his shoulder before reiterating her sentiment, "is an opportunity waiting for you to take it."

Ben smiled for the first time since they talked about this decision. Clearly Rey had a positive influence on him. That was something that lately he was starting to get used to.

"Thanks, Rey. I… I think I'll try for it again. Go all the way this time."

Her smile grew larger and she rubbed his arm for a moment. Usually they were both hesitant to even brush shoulders walking past each other, let alone touch hands, but oddly that evening they were behaving as if it were a normal thing and spoke so naturally as if they'd known each other for years.

"Is the test pretty hard?" she wondered.

"It's a lot of materiel to cover," he explained. "I guess the amount of stuff is what's overwhelming me. I know planes because of my dad of course and I can easily meet my practice hours now that I've got a ton of time, but for some reason I get anxiety just thinking about how much I need to remember for the real thing."

"When is the next test?"

"Usually you can find one to take every month. But if I'm going to actually do this, I'd want to give myself at least three months to prepare. I'm still helping Phasma out with her photoshoots and I don't want to bail on her. So I'll just be studying whenever I can."

"I could help you study," she offered.

"As great as that would be, you're very busy with your own work already, Rey. I appreciate it but I don't want to be a burden," he said. "Plus, I don't know if you'd be able to pick up the technical stuff fast enough for me before my written exam."

"First of all," Rey pretended to size him up by sitting up straighter and waving a finger in the air for emphasis. "I'm a trained mechanic since my foster dad taught me how to fix cars. So don't be fooled by my hopeless little girl face," she smirked. This made him chuckle. "And second, I wouldn't offer if I didn't nor couldn't help you. I want to help."

Ben thought for a moment. It would be beneficial if someone helped him study. That way he would grasp things easier with more explanation. He would also get to spend more time with Rey, which would be a bonus. Not that it meant anything…

"Let's go get that pilot's license then," he high-fived her.

Rey squealed and jumped off her seat, satisfied to have cheered him up. Ben's phone chimed signaling the delivery guy would be there momentarily, so he messaged the driver the code to enter their building. Rey walked over to the refrigerator to take out some sodas for them. Ben started towards the door, knowing the delivery guy would be there in a few minutes, getting his wallet ready to pay for the meal. He had finally taken notice of the box that Rey brought home. It was sitting on the breakfast table along with her coat, messenger bag and purse.

"Oh hey, what's this stuff? Did you rummage a yard sale on your way back?" he kidded as the contents he briefly glanced at were a random sort.

The once cheery Rey suddenly froze, and her aura greyed.

As if Ben had an invisible connection to her, he too felt her mood suddenly flip.

"Are you alright?" Ben walked over to her.

She was standing in front of the refrigerator, facing the appliance, with two cans of soda in hand. Her stillness gradually began to tremble. Slowly, she turned her head to reveal her appearance. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. When she met eyes with him, it turned into sobs.

"Come here."

He grabbed the sodas from her hand and quickly placed them on a counter. Without question he pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her, burying her face in his chest. He didn't think twice if this was overstepping some boundary they never really discussed. The only thing that mattered was that Rey was crying and she mattered to him, and all he knew was that he wanted to comfort her.

"Shh," he whispered as he caressed her hair and let her sobs muffle in his shirt.

He dared not ask or say anything to upset her even more. He thought hard if he had said something to upset her. _Had he?_ But if she was mad at him, she wouldn't have let him hold her. So maybe it wasn't something he said. _Hopefully_.

Too soon there was a knock on the door; their pizza finally arrived. She lightly yelped, realizing her naive state and the intimacy of the situation.

"Hold on, ok?" He assured her as he slowly broke from his strong bear hold on her. She subtly nodded and he guided her to a stool to sit momentarily.

Ben rushed over to open the door, take the pizza and pay the man to leave. He quickly placed the food down on the breakfast table where Rey's stuff was.

 _Shit… it's the stuff in the box_ , he realized.

Whatever was in there was probably what was making her emotional. Immediately he walked back over and stood in front of her - opting not to sit on the stool beside her because he wanted to be as close to her as possible - and resumed to envelope her into a strong embrace. She took his gesture without retort as she wanted to continue to be held. Especially by Ben. She didn't resume her sobs, but tears freely flowed and in the quiet loft, muffled sniffles and light hiccups were all that were heard.

When her sniffles began to slowly die, Ben spoke up.

"You know, I'd like nothing more than to let you use my shirt as a tissue box, but the pizza is getting cold and pretty soon I might be crying," he tried to lighten the mood.

It definitely worked since she giggled a little between hiccups. She wiped her face with her hands and finally looked up at him. With red, puffy eyes staring back at him and a weak smile, she replied. "Well, we can't let this good pizza go to waste."

Ben didn't pressure Rey into explaining herself. He never did. That was something she appreciated about him since they first met. Instead, he fetched her a tissue to wipe the rest of her face, brought the pizza to the kitchen island, they grabbed some slices, and casually ate their dinner together. To save them from awkward silence, Ben changed the subject and talked to Rey about the pizza joint he ordered from, a mom and pop, and shared every fact he knew about pizza - if it wasn't so obvious already that it was his favorite food. She enjoyed the distraction he provided. Honestly, she just loved his company.

However, his attempt to make her feel better had fumbled when during a brief silence his eyes strayed over to the box on the table and her eyes followed his gaze, twisting her head around to see said object.

She jadedly sighed. "I guess I should explain myself, huh?"

"Explain yourself? I thought you were so starving for pizza that you cried because you were hangry," he smirked at her. This made her chuckle.

It seemed like a touchy subject and he didn't want to force her to talk unless she wanted to, if she wanted to at all. She appreciated his insouciance yet again but felt the need, and want, to talk about it with him.

"It's Hobbie's things."

"His things? I'd assume after a breakup the ex would return _your_ things," Ben was a tad befuddled.

"Well… it's sort of his. His assistant randomly dropped by at work today and handed me the box. I thought it was my stuff too, but I know that I brought everything; remember my pathetic box when I first got here?"

He nodded.

"I looked inside and saw that it was his things… Things that I bought for him as gifts or just random things I got for the apartment. His assistant said that he didn't want them anymore because and I quote 'there's no sentimental value so it's useless to be lying around' in his apartment."

It all made sense now. _The_ _fucking prick_.

Rey got up and went over to the box. She picked up a few random items and set them back in.

"I'm not sad because I miss him or anything, _no way_. I'm just… I mean you'd think he would have the decency to throw this stuff away, not send it back. Frankly I would've preferred that. But he knew it would hurt me. That's why he did it." She looked over at Ben and sadly smiled. "And you know what the worst part is? His assistant said if I took any of stuff that he got me to return them too if possible."

"Do you even have anything of his stuff?" Ben asked knowing that she had barely brought anything except for her clothes and the items on the bookshelf.

"No way. Any jewelry he gave me I left behind. That's all he ever bought me. But come on, look at me. Am I really the kind of girl who'd be swayed by expensive things?"

"I don't know, this pizza set me back twenty bucks," he teased. "And I know you think it's delicious."

She actually laughed, appreciating his effort in making her feel better. It was starting to become her favorite thing about Ben.

"Alright, you got me there," she kidded back.

"It's alright. You're worth every penny," he winked at her.

 _Where did that brashness come from?_ Except he just realized that he may have sounded like her rich, stuck up ex.

"I mean, wait, you know what I mean… sorry," he sheepishly chuckled, about ready to punch himself for his folly.

"It's alright, Ben," she nervously laughed.

She averted her gaze from his eyes, trying not to blush at his words. She knew Ben meant it differently. His was a sentiment, Hobbie's was a statement.

"I didn't even want the engagement ring, so I left it behind too. But when I was grabbing my clothes, I had packed some of his by mistake since he gave me some of his stuff to wear while we were together. Mainly a sweater and a couple of large t-shirts. But when I unpacked and saw them of course I didn't wear them. They're just at the bottom of the drawer."

"Well fuck him," Ben said. "Don't give him back his stuff."

"What am I supposed to do with it, then?"

Suddenly Ben had a great idea.

"Let's burn it. All of it! Even the stuff in the box. Let the past die. Kill it if you have to," he said. "Or in this case, burn it!"

Rey immediately agreed and the pair walked outside to the balcony carrying a few things. She went to the room to grab the items of clothing and came back, also bringing along the pizza box and a couple more sodas. An impromptu bonfire called for pizza and good company. Ben opened his grill and removed the racks. He ignited it and let the fire grow. While Rey set up the chairs and food, he quickly ran inside to grab something. Stepping back out, he held a couple things inside a meager shoe box.

Rey's amused expression prompted him to speak up.

"Well if you're burning your ex's stuff, I figured I should burn mine too, right?"

"I'm surprised Baz even bought you things," Rey joked. "With how you and Phasma described her as a gold digger and all."

"Hence the scarce number of items in the box," he chuckled while showing her a near empty shoe box. "I'm sure she spent my own money to buy me these things too. Probably why I didn't think to throw them out right away. Technically I got them for myself. But she did, and I don't want them anymore."

"Let the burning commence!" Rey announced.

The experience was, to say the least, therapeutic.

The items Rey had bought for Hobbie were practical. He was hard to please and wasn't one for sentiments anyways. Things like empty picture frames, a custom engraved business card holder with his initials, book ends of his favorite literary characters, a wooden baseball holder case for the foul ball he caught at a game once as a kid (Hobbie was a Yankees fan, to which Ben said that he understood why he was such a prick, he was a Yankees fan - 'the worst of them all') and a couple of paisley ties she gifted him over the years. Ben's box contained a shirt of one of his favorite bands, a pair of sunglasses, and a very broken iPod Nano (to which Ben said Baz had broken during one of their many fights).

"Neat sunglasses, but why didn't she get you Aviators? I mean the name speaks for itself," Rey giggled.

"Exactly!" Ben exclaimed. "Baz didn't like how aviators looked so she got me these Oakley's. They're nice, but I'm an aspiring pilot. I should at least look the part," he bragged.

Finally, Rey pulled out the clothes she accidentally packed. While the two shirts were plain cotton tees, the sweater wasn't.

"Well, well, well. Mr. Prick went to Columbia? Guess mommy and daddy's money went to waste since he's still an idiot," Ben snorted. "Did you go there too? Am I in the presence of a genius?"

"No," Rey laughed as well. "He went there for his undergrad. Mr. Silver Spoon lived in Connecticut. Super rich. The whole shebang. He went to UCLA for grad school, where we met."

"Shall you do the honors?" he gestured his hand towards the burning pit of useless objects.

"Well, with all of his money and his parent's money, he can afford a new sweater," she claimed and balled the garment up before tossing it into the bin.

The pair sat and ate their pizza, laughing over their exes and watching with a weight lifted above their shoulders the last link to toxic pasts burn in flames. After about an hour or so, Ben extinguished the fire. The two were feeling sluggish, full of the pizza and the evening's activities. Rey's night hadn't turned out to be what she thought. It was better. She didn't think she'd even smile that evening from what happened earlier with the sudden confrontation with Hobbie's assistant. Now, she barely considered it an afterthought.

Neither person was ready to go to bed yet, so they parked themselves on the couch and turned the TV on for static noise. Ben got up after a bit and grabbed a throw blanket from the hall closet. He spread the garment on top of Rey who was sprawled over half of the couch. She thanked him and offered to share it if he were cold. He wasn't really cold since his body ran warm, but he wouldn't pass the opportunity to sit closer to her. While her offer to share was bold and his response to agree was just as risqué, boundaries were the last thing they were thinking of; what with all the things that happened already. Tonight it was just Rey and Ben in their loft, enjoying one another's company. No labels. No thoughts of tomorrow. Just now and just them.

Eventually Rey's eye grew heavy, and just like in Vegas, she ended up snuggling into his side with his arm wrapped around her. This felt right.

Ben felt her weariness but before he let her drift off, he wanted to do something.

"Rey?" He said as softly as he could.

"Hmm?" she sleepily mumbled.

"I uh, I want to give you something."

That was enough to get her to be more conscious and focus on the conversation, so she lifted her head from his shoulder and sat up a bit straighter. Ben reached in his pocket with his free arm and pulled out a small trinket.

"A bracelet?" she was amused. He put it on her wrist delicately as the item appeared very old.

"I made it when I was in boy scouts."

Rey smiled at the thought of a young Ben Solo wearing the cute little uniform with a collection of badges. She admired the small wooden block with a hand-carved design secured in a leather strap.

"This is Celtic," she recognized the patterns.

"It is," Ben grinned, happy that she was familiar with the design he chose to carve. "It's a symbol for hope."

"That's lovely," she awed at the trinket, lightly tracing the etched lines on the block.

"I didn't always have it easy growing up, but my mom told me to always have hope. So, I carved that symbol," he pointed to the design.

"Oh Ben, this is too precious." Rey suddenly treated the bracelet as if it were a thousand-dollar diamond, ready to take it off and hand it back to him. "I can't accept this."

"I want you to have it," he assured her. He placed his hand over the bracelet on her wrist, not wanting her to take it off.

"But Ben…" she started. "You're the one studying for your pilot's license, you need it more," she retorted.

"I don't need it, Rey. You believe in me. That's all the hope I need," he smiled warmly at her.

She blushed at his remark. Whatever he meant by it, she hoped it was what she was thinking as well.

"This bracelet helped me many times when I was young, and I want it to help you. With work, with your love life, with your dreams and goals," he softly smiled. "You deserve to be happy."

She couldn't help but feel an ache – a good one – in her heart. A genuine gift. Her first real gift from someone of the opposite sex. Sure, Finn and Poe had gotten her presents, usually paraphernalia of her favorite things, and Hobbie only ever gave her expensive jewelry with the price tag speaking for itself instead of having sentimental value. But this… This simple, handmade, thoughtful gift was hands down the best thing she'd ever received. Rey smiled, kissed Ben ever so softly on the cheek (yup, their boundaries had gone out the window tonight) and settled back down to rest in his arms.

She couldn't fight her eyes to stay awake anymore. Before she fell into her sleep, she whispered to him, "Thank you."

Ben waited a bit before moving. He didn't want to wake Rey as he knew she needed to rest from a long tiresome day. When he was sure her breathing had steadied into a soft rhythm, he gently grabbed a throw pillow, placed it at the end of the couch, then set her down, getting off the sofa so her legs would have more room for comfort. He covered a second blanket over her, the small throw blanket that was resting on the back of the couch behind them. Yes there was another blanket, and yes it was right behind them. While it made sense that the two could've had their own separate covers, tonight wasn't the time for either of them to think about what 'made sense'.

He lightly tucked her in and caressed her shoulder. He kissed the top of her head so very gently as to not wake her and began to stand up. Before he could stretch his legs, she stirred slightly and reached her arm out searching blindly for him, managing to grip lightly at his pant leg.

"Ben," she said groggily. He wasn't sure if she was even half awake. "I want you to be happy too."

He was glad her eyes were closed because he was blushing from his neck to his ears at her sentiment. Everything she said and did tonight surprised him. He was dangerously lowering his guards and reorienting his heart and he knew she was the cause of it. It scared him, and any other night he'd freak out about it. But not tonight. Tonight belonged to them.

When her hand finally went slack on the fabric of his sweatpants, he knew she fell back into a peaceful slumber. Instead of heading to the room to sleep on the bed since she was currently occupying the place where he had been sleeping for the last few months, he decided to brew himself a cup of coffee, settle at the computer desk and open his booklet.

 _This time_ , he began to promise himself.

He directed his eyes towards the back of the couch, knowing that his motivation was sound asleep on the other side.

 _This time I'm getting my license_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Poker Night
> 
> "Hey what's wrong?"
> 
> "Is it Ben? Did he do something?"
> 
> "No, his college friends are over. They were very... 'college behaved'. You know, rowdy."


	16. Poker Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So this chapter may lean towards an M rating because Ben's got drunk idiot friends. Their conversation contains very obscene language. Sorry, I needed them to look bad. Fair warning, this is not a pretty chapter...

* * *

**~XVI. Poker Night~**

After the night of their bonfire, it seemed like Ben and Rey fell back to their comfortable routine (before Baz). They had breakfast in the mornings and dinner together every day. And on her days off, lunch included. Their conversations were full of laughter and light teasing and as Rey promised, she spent an hour or two a day helping Ben study for his pilot's exam. The boundaries that were crossed that night were never brought up. It seemed like an implicit thing because they were each trying to figure out if it meant something or if they were just caught up with the events of that night. The only progress that surmounted on that front was that they started sharing a blanket during their movie nights (minus Rey snuggling up next to Ben), but at times she would stretch her legs over his lap and vice versa. Likewise, when they would say goodnight, now they gave each other prolonged hugs. This, they thought, this they could do every day.

About a month later, Ben and Hux's old college friends were in town. They planned to have a poker night (like their college days) at Hux's place, but he had forgotten that Phasma was dog sitting a neighbor's pair of golden retrievers the same night and one of their friends was allergic. So, Ben had asked Rey if he and his buddies could have their game night at the loft. Rey didn't think Ben needed to ask her, but she appreciated it, nonetheless. She agreed of course since it fell perfectly on the day that she was to go out to dinner with Rose, Finn and Poe. It had been such a long time since their last get together (minus Poe's birthday), and Rose's sister Paige was in town anyways, so it was the perfect night for the two of them.

Rey had gotten off work a bit late and informed her friends that she'd instead meet them at the restaurant and not at Rose's apartment to start. She finally made it home and rushed up to the loft and opened the door, turning the heads of several men.

The couch was pushed against the wall of the bookshelf for the time being so Hux's enormous poker table could be set up for the five men to sit. When Ben saw Rey, his face lit up, to which only Hux had noticed and grinned to himself while his friend got up to greet her.

"Hey," Ben smiled gently at her.

She smiled back at him and started to shed her jacket and purse off her shoulder. He walked over to help her out of her coat, something he'd been doing lately as well. She didn't mind of course; she liked the sentiment. Not like Hobbie ever did anything gentleman-like for her even during their courtship.

"Sorry for interrupting," she sheepishly waved at the strangers.

The other men placed their cards down and stood up as well. They hadn't expected a visitor, let alone a woman. Nor had Ben even mentioned anything.

"Hey Hux," she greeted the only other person she knew first. He went over to give her a hug. "How's Phasma doing?"

"She's pet sitting for a friend. Woman's been trying to get me to get a dog of our own for years," he rolled his eyes.

"Be careful, she can be very intimidating. Or else you'll end up with like six dogs," she and Hux laughed.

Ben liked that Rey was friends with his friends. She was already friends with his oldest pal Poe, but that was before they met. Hux and Phasma were the closest thing to family as Ben wasn't as close with his parents these days and this mutual likeness among them was a sense of confirmation or approval that she was welcomed in his life by everyone. Well, at least his friends. If he had thought like this a couple months ago, when the awkwardness clouded the air, he wouldn't even think about wanting some kind of approval. Now, if he were being honest, neither he nor Rey were sure if this was just a roommate thing anymore or an actual budding relationship.

After Hux's chat with her, Ben gestured for Rey to meet the other guests.

"Guys this is Rey." He turned to her and nodded at the three men. "This is Quinn, Peavey and DJ."

"Hi," she waved at them.

"Well hello there, pretty lady," Quinn greeted her. "Ben's told us nothing about you."

"That's alright. Ben didn't tell me anything about you all either," she kidded.

They all laughed at her remark.

"How in the world did our buddy score you?" his friend DJ asked.

"Yeah, there's no way in hell that you two are together," a noticeably drunk Peavey added.

Unfortunately for Rey, the men had started their poker game almost two hours ago and his three friends already had a great amount of alcohol to drink. Ben, like Rey, still didn't drink alcohol since their Vegas trip and Hux, as Phasma had told her, was Irish so he knew how to hold his liquor. Therefore, she treaded lightly.

"They're roommates," Hux stepped in.

She was very grateful for him at the moment as Ben was seemingly quiet, a mixture of uneasiness and irritation revealed on his face.

"Ben is in between jobs and Rey's in between couches. They're mutual friends with one of Ben's old buddies. Relax it's just a temporary thing." Hux knew not to bring up the whole Vegas incident, something Ben demanded of him before the others came over.

"That explains why it's so god damn clean here!" Quinn exclaimed.

"Ben isn't so bad," she lightly joked. This caused them all to laugh again.

"Well whatever you're doing, keep at it, girl! The loft is clean and there's more than just beer in the fridge," DJ winked at her.

With the lingering conversation and her palpable discomfort, Rey decided it was time to excuse herself and let Ben and his friends resume their game. She was already late as it was, and she wanted to leave and see her friends as soon as possible.

Ben and his friends settled back in their seats and continued their game. Thankful for Hux, he was able to avoid any mentions of Vegas or the status of his and Rey's actual relationship. His other friends were in fact chums, but not as much as his friendship with Hux and even Poe back when he was younger.

He remembered exactly how less of friends there were and more of just acquaintances that day when they started getting rowdier and drinking way too much beer.

"Dude seriously," Peavey nudged Ben after a while. He drank the most out of them all. "How the hell did you land that girl?"

Hux haughtily grinned. He was the only one who knew the truth, the _entire_ truth. Whether Ben or Rey cared to admit there were feelings between them, nothing went past the redhead.

"Yeah, she's way out of your league, dude. Not even the kind of girl you go for," DJ said. "And that accent, so damn sexy."

"Ben has matured since you guys last saw him," Hux added.

"Yeah, he went and found a girl to own. That Rey is something," Quinn wolf-whistled at the thought.

"Hey now, no one owns anybody," Ben started to get defensive. Drunk or not, he'd hope his friends treaded lightly on the Rey matter.

"Oh, so she owns you?" DJ chuckled, "So you're her bitch?"

His three drunk friends obnoxiously sniggered.

"And to think playboy Ben becomes a one-woman man. She must be amazing in bed," Quinn stated.

"Guys…" Ben warned. Even Hux was disgusted.

"I thought Baz was a wild one," Peavey snorted. "Rey must be one of those good girls on the streets but a freaking slut in the sheets."

Ben glowered at them, bunching up his fists as he grabbed onto some poker chips on the table to tame his growing rage.

"Okay that's enough beer for you Peavey. You too Quinn," Hux tried calming down their drunk friends.

"No seriously, you got her whipped? She whip you?" DJ questioned allowed. Then he turned to everyone. "Because there is no way in hell our pal Ben here has a roommate of the opposite sex and is not taking advantage of banging her every second. I bet if we weren't here the two would be getting busy already."

"It's not like that, you guys," Ben sneered, the grip on his hands grew tighter.

"Oh-I-get-it," an even drunker Peavey than before started slurring. This man practically inhaled his beer. "She's-not-puttin'-out, huh?"

"What a prude!" DJ spluttered with a hyena laugh.

"You better mark your territory before she runs away!" Quinn crudely sniggered.

"Guys, seriously quit it!" Ben hissed.

"Oh look, Ben's blushing over his little girlfriend!" his college buddies continued to torment him.

Ben's face flushed red. Not for the blushes he'd been having lately because of Rey, but for the very offensive, very vulgar things his drunk college buddies had been saying about her. He was enraged. Rey was not like that and it bothered him that anyone would even have those thoughts about an amazing girl like her. This needed to stop before he did something to someone he'd regret later.

But before he could throw a punch, Hux stopped him.

"Come on you guys, be respectful," he tried diffusing the situation.

Among them, Hux was the most responsible. Probably because he grew up with military parents and he was the one with the long-term girlfriend. He never bantered like this with them. Even his light teasing with Ben about Rey, Hux would never overstep boundaries. And for knowing Ben longer than the other guys at the table, Hux knew his best friend's 'college days' were way behind him. It also didn't hurt that he was on Rey and Ben's side, wanting his best friend to pursue an actual relationship with this woman.

"You spend way too much time with Huxy over here, Ben," DJ said. "He's probably rubbed off on you and now you're going soft for a girl huh?"

"Well we can't all live the old glory days in college, DJ. We all got to grow up some time," Ben scowled. He was getting very edgy with them.

"Hey, you be a boring old man, I'll party 'til my liver explodes," Peavey said before chugging down his beer. His 12th beer.

"So, you two," Quinn started, "You're not together?"

Ben glanced at Hux. His redheaded friend didn't know what to say to help him out with this question. He knew it was a complicated matter.

"We're just roommates… That's all," he said coldly.

After a brief silence.

"So… you wouldn't mind if I fucked her?" Peavey menacingly grunted.

Ben nearly jumped from his seat intending to deck Peavey in his face when Hux, who had faster reflexes grabbed Ben by the arm to prevent a horrible fist fight from ensuing.

"Okay, I think we're about done here," the redhead announced to the others. Drunk as hell, it didn't faze them that Ben was acting violent. "Ben, just walk it off," he suggested to his friend.

It took Ben all his might not to flip that poker table over and break his buddy's jaw. Instead, he listened to Hux and stood up to briefly leave their game.

"Aw come on, Benny boy, we were just bullshitting!" DJ drunkenly hollered.

"You guys are shit heads," he heard Hux scoff at them.

As if nothing happened, they continued to talk, thankfully not about Rey anymore, but still stupidly and still super drunk.

Those three guys were always trouble when they were under the influence. In their defense, they never realized let alone remembered what they did when they're drunk. But this was no exception. Dare he say they were offending someone he cared a lot about. Ben certainly needed a breather from them, so he made his way over to the kitchen to grab a soda. It was days like these that he wished to bottom out a bottle of scotch or a six-pack of Michelob Ultra's. But he and Rey, for no real reason, had still decided to hold off on alcohol just for the sake of it. It was something, somewhat of a promise the two of them have kept with each other since the whole Vegas debacle. But boy were his college buddies tempting him to break that streak.

When he reached the kitchen, his hand was ready to grab the handle to the refrigerator door when something in his peripheral caught his eye. Or rather _someone_. He turned his head and feared the worse. Rey was standing at the end of the hallway right before it opened to the living room. Her face was in shock, a tear rolling down one of her cheeks.

 _Shit_.

She didn't need to say anything. He knew she heard his idiot friends and their rash conversation. When her eyes met his, something registered in her to finally move. After being frozen in place for what felt like forever, she quickly wiped her cheek and dashed back to the bedroom. Ben forgot all about his soda and his friends and quickly paced down the hall as well, trying not to spark attention. While his drunk friends were oblivious and still chatting mindlessly, leave it to Hux to notice a hurried Ben walking past them down the hall. He got the sense that someone may have heard something they weren't meant to hear.

Rey didn't mean to eavesdrop. She respected Ben and they respected each other to allow as much privacy as needed. She was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Finn group texted that he was running late as well so the plans to meet up at Rose's apartment were tossed and everyone would meet at a restaurant near Poe's bar instead at 7:30 PM. Rose then texted Rey asking if she wanted to get picked up since she was on the way and the girls would share a cab to their destination. This was a relief for Rey since she was already behind schedule. She had finished getting ready and it was almost 7, the time Rose would be there. She quickly decided to make a small cup of coffee as she knew her friends would want to stay out late to talk and catch up. On her way out of the bedroom she tried to stay out of the way of Ben's poker game, so she tiptoed down the corridor carefully as to not bring any attention to herself. And if she were being honest, Ben's friends were a bit _much_ when they greeted her. She was looking forward to having a relaxing night out with her friends.

However, as she reached the end of the hallway, she heard her name spoken by one of Ben's friends. She stopped in her tracks. For the next minute or two her body shut down. What she was hearing. The words they were saying to Ben about him, about her… She couldn't believe it. Was that how people projected them? Was that how she was projecting herself to Ben? Is that how Ben thinks of this situation? This cloud of indignity and shame was slowly rising in the pit of her stomach when suddenly a bolt of lightning hit her harder than anything said from anyone else.

" _ **We're just roommates… that's all**_ _._ "

Before she knew it, a single tear formed and escaped the confines of her pupil and slithered slowly down her burning cheek. It's not like she hadn't heard him say it before. She said it as well. They agreed to label it that from the start. So why was it affecting her now? Before she could even think of doing anything or actually think anything about it, she met eyes with her 'roommate'. This woke her up, sending her back towards the direction of the bedroom.

Rey shut the door quietly and headed into the bathroom to touch up her makeup. She heard the door to the bedroom open slowly and shut softly. She couldn't escape this. He saw her. She had to confront him sooner or later. She closed the tube of her mascara and bravely walked out of the bathroom door and into the room. With every ounce of strength she could muster, she acted like nothing was the matter. Ben on the other hand didn't hide his looks of pure concern and guilt on his face.

"Rey…" he began. But he didn't know what to say next.

She glanced at him for a brief second. Then she made herself busy. She walked over to the nightstand and grabbed her phone to see if Rose or anyone had texted her.

"Sorry I'm still here. Change of plans. They pushed dinner back a bit. Just waiting for my Uber."

"I-I can take you," Ben offered. Screw his friends.

"Ben, you have guests."

"It's alright, Hux can watch the place for a bit."

"I don't want to impose that on him."

This whole time, Ben was staring vigilantly at her as she kept her eyes glued to her phone, fiddling mindlessly between random apps and messages threads. He couldn't take the piercing tension anymore.

"Rey."

The desperation in his voice when he said her name was unmistakable. It was enough for her to stop her fidgeting, take a deep breath and look up at him.

"Yes?" she said softly. Though she tried sounding confident, there was still a crack in her voice in saying a simple word.

"I…" He still didn't know what he could possible say to fix any of this. Pathetically, he answered with the most generic response. "I'm sorry."

She fought her very best not to cry or even let her eyes get watery again. Instead, she kindly smiled and shook her head.

"Nothing to be sorry for, Ben," she lied.

Then again, maybe it wasn't a lie. He really did have nothing to be sorry for, right?

"No," he huffed.

He took a step forward, with Rey not even responding to his actions. It crushed him. He knew she was shutting herself off.

"I know you heard my idiot friends outside."

"They're drunk," she tried to reason. "I see drunk people all the time at Poe's bar."

"Rey," Ben pleaded. He hated that she was being brave, he hated that she was dismissing him. "Please. Don't take anything they said to heart. It's none of their business. I'm sorry if they hurt you or anything. Really."

"Ben," she said softly. "Really. I'm fine. I know they're drunk and obviously you and Hux didn't say anything, which I thank you for that. But I'm a big girl. I can handle drunk idiots."

He still wasn't sure about this. He felt him and Rey slipping back into the 'awkward and uncomfortable' stage of their shared living space. It was so long ago and the newfound comfort level they were on was something he very much didn't want to lose.

"I mean, it shouldn't bother you either," she was trying to brush it off as best as she could. "It's not like we're really a 'thing' anyway. _We're just roommates_ , right?"

 _Roommates_.

That word hit him like a ton of bricks. Granted, he had said that to his friends just to shut them up, but hearing Rey confirm it - that hurt.

Rey sensed that that word affected him too. His desperate plea to talk to her had suddenly resolved into stark silence.

Thankfully, Rose texted her and Rey had a true reason to end their conversation. She politely said goodbye to Ben and walked past him quickly, hoping he wouldn't stop her. He didn't. He was still disoriented to what she had said.

Rey reached the living room and saw that Ben's friends had taken a break from their poker game. Peavey and DJ were taking a smoke break out on the balcony, and Quinn was out with them, drinking a beer while they chatted. Hux was in the kitchen pouring himself some soda to mix with his Jameson. He looked up and greeted Rey while she put her jacket on.

"Hiya, where you off to?"

"Rose's sister is in town, going to meet up and have dinner," she said cheerfully as if the last ten minutes never happened.

"Where's Ben?" he asked before sipping his concoction.

"Oh, he's just freshening up," she tried to dismiss it.

Rey walked towards the door and placed her hand on the handle. But before she left, she turned back to Hux.

"Do me a favor and look after him for me ok?"

She didn't know why she said that, why she even requested Hux to do such a thing. But she couldn't take it back now. She said it aloud.

"Of course," He gave her a playful salute. She chuckled. She was glad Ben had a friend like Hux. "And Rey?"

She was caught off guard when he called her name again. She thought the pleasantries were over and was already halfway out the door to leave.

"Hmm?" she said, turning back around to face him.

"Our friends really are morons. Ben isn't like that. Trust me."

She believed him. She believed Ben. But what she couldn't accept was what he said about their 'relationship'. More like how he said it. It was the truth they projected and the truth they said to others. But they never once said it to each other. That was until she did for the first time to him in the bedroom moments earlier. Now the term seemed to mean something else and she wasn't sure if she was happy about it.

She lightly smiled and nodded to Hux then shut the door.

Rey made her way downstairs to an awaiting Rose and Paige at the lobby of the building.

"Rey!" Paige, Rose's older sister hollered.

Rey waved at the sisters and rushed over to them. She hugged Paige first.

"Damn girl, nice place! Better than that boring old apartment building you had across town."

Oh right, Rey thought. Paige didn't know she didn't live at Hobbie's anymore.

"Ahh I'm so excited for dinner with everyone!" her best friend hugged her tightly. "It's been too long!"

"Yeah, I'm starving." Rey tried to be enthusiastic. But it wasn't convincing at all.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Paige sensed something off about the usually optimistic Rey.

Rey made a flippant gesture with her hand.

"Is it Ben? Did he do something?" Rose suddenly grew worried.

"No, his college friends are over. They were very… 'college behaved'. You know, rowdy," she tried to play it off.

"Ahh," Rose chuckled.

"Wait who's Ben?" Paige was out of the loop.

"Sis, we have a lot of catching up to do!" Rose said before looping her arm around her best friend's and her sister's as the three girls walked over to the awaiting Uber.

Normally Rey wouldn't want anything of her and Ben's Vegas weekend shared with anyone outside of their circle. But she had known Paige almost as long as she had known Rose and she trusted her. She was an extended part of Rey's family of friends but since she lived in Chicago, she only visited every so often. As they reached the car, Paige was basically caught up with the important stuff at least.

"YOU'RE MARRIED?!"

"Oh girl, that's just the beginning," Rose laughed.

Rey temporarily put the conversation she had with Ben aside and chose to enjoy her night out with her friends. While she knew Paige would grill her with questions, Rey would answer her the same way she's been answering everyone else. And as best she could, she would put a braver face on tonight when she had to say that she was living with a 'roommate'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
> 
> "There he is! The man of the hour!"
> 
> "Ben dear, it's so great to see you!"
> 
> "Mom. Dad... W-what are you guys doing here?"


	17. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: You guys, we're about at the halfway mark! I'm pretty much done introducing and setting up sub-plots. The next half of this story will be filled with more romance, laughter, excitement and of course drama!
> 
> I'm a second-act kind of gal. I know that stories need to build to start off as it is very important to peak interest. I think the real depth, however, comes in the second act. So, here's pretty much the start of Act II. Enjoy!

* * *

**~XVII. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?~**

Every time they settled into a comfortable routine something always had to happen to mess up the balance. _Every. Damn. Time_. Ben thought. It was like the universe was punishing him and Rey for their irresponsible Vegas weekend and was keeping them in this limbo that they always found themselves in. After the disaster of a night he had with his college buddies and his horrible confrontation with Rey, they were literally back at square one. Worse than square one. More like square negative fifty.

Rey returned from her dinner that night very late. She had debated whether to stay the night at Finn's or Rose's, but she knew better not to show Ben that what had been said by his friends affected her. Especially what he said. So, she swallowed her pride and tiptoed back to the loft just before midnight.

When she had left, Ben eventually came out of the bedroom after composing himself and walked over to the kitchen to grab that soda he was meant to have before any of it happened. Hux knew something transpired between him and Rey so he managed to rile up the others and get them to leave with him to go to a nearby bar. Ben was thankful for his friend and proceeded to tidy up so Rey would come back to a clean place. _If she came back_ , he sadly doubted. He was trying to figure out what to say to her; trying to figure some sort of gesture to really apologize. By the time she came home, however, she saw him passed out on the computer desk. He had been reading his booklet to try and pass time for her arrival. On another night, she would have admired his dedication to getting his pilot's license, but she still couldn't face him. Not tonight. Not yet.

This silence droned on for a couple weeks. When they first moved in together, they had done their own things in perfect harmony, not getting in each other's way though acknowledging each other's presence when their paths crossed. Now, Rey seemed to avoid crossing paths with Ben as much as possible. She got up earlier than usual and left for work by the time he awoke. Likewise, she would stay late and grab dinner before heading home. By the time she got to the loft, she would go straight to bed. Ben caught on with her new routine after a few days and reluctantly accepted it. He wouldn't push her. He was beginning to accept that the final two months would be just that. Sharing a space with someone whom he rarely sees.

With Rey avoiding Ben for the past two weeks, he still tried to keep his promise to himself (and Rey) to study for his exam. Without her tutoring, he looked into going to a one-week review session on the other side of town. This helped with the avoidance of confrontation for the both of them. On his last night of the class he arrived back at the loft ready to relax after a grueling week. The review was good for him, but it wasn't nearly as good as the sessions he and Rey had that he was really able to grasp everything comfortably and feel less overwhelmed.

As he reached his front door and was about to unlock it, he heard muffled sounds coming from the other side. It couldn't have been the counselor since he had stopped by already yesterday. Boy was that one of the hardest check-ins they've ever had. It couldn't have been Hux or Phasma because they were visiting Phasma's grandparents in Irvine that evening. Maybe it was Rey's friends? But she hardly had them over. Curiosity peaked and Ben unlocked the door, stepping inside to find the last two people on earth he would've ever guessed to be there.

"There he is! The man of the hour!"

"Ben dear, it's so great to see you!"

"Mom. Dad." He was in disbelief.

Sitting on stools at the kitchen island were Ben's parents. Rey awkwardly stood on the other side, pouring a glass of wine for his mother. She shared a brief, timid glance with him. He could tell she was a bit shocked to receive visitors that night as well; his parents, nonetheless.

"Hey," she softly greeted him.

Her voice broke his initial shock. She hadn't spoken to him in nearly two weeks. God he missed her voice. Coming back to reality, his surprise was quickly replaced with anxiety.

"W-what are you guys doing here?" he treaded lightly.

"Now is that any way to greet your parents?" Han, Ben's father chuckled.

"Sweetheart, why didn't you tell us you got married?" his mother, Leia asked.

"Uh-"

"I know you're still mad at me for firing you son, but you get married and didn't tell us? Or even invite us?" Han huffed.

"Dad, I-"

"Listen, kid," Han stood up and walked over to him. "I know we're not in the best standing, but you're still my son, _our_ son. That was hurtful."

"Don't be so dramatic, Han. As long as our baby is happy." Leia got up from her stool as well and walked over to hug her son. "Your father and I didn't think you'd ever settle down. We're so proud of you. How you ever found a lovely girl like Rey, we couldn't be happier." The shorter lady beamed at her son hovering more than a foot taller than her. Something about that made Rey smile.

Ben looked over at Rey after his mother let go of her embrace as she and Han walked back over to the counter.

"Um, Rey," Ben spoke. "Can I talk to you real quick in the room?"

Rey nodded and finished pouring that glass for Leia. She briefly excused herself and walked towards the hallway with Ben following right behind her.

"They're probably going somewhere private to kiss, huh sweetheart," Leia giggled, speaking loudly on purpose to get Ben and Rey to blush. Han laughed heartily.

"Ah to be young again," he winked and kissed his wife's forehead.

Ben could not get Rey to walk fast enough to save the two of them from further embarrassment. When they reached the bedroom, he quietly shut the door. She sat on the bed patiently waiting for whatever he wanted to talk about. For a moment Ben leaned his forehead on the door frame. He let go of the breath he didn't even know he was holding in. Then he turned and sat at the edge of the mattress.

"I had no idea they were coming over. I swear," was the first thing he said.

"Honestly, they surprised me too," Rey sighed. "I had just gotten home and not even two minutes later someone was at the door. And five minutes after that thank God you stepped in."

"What are they doing here?"

"They wanted to check in on you, see how you were doing since you… left your job. Leia was reprimanding Han for handling the situation horribly," she shared with him. "She wants you and Han to talk it out."

"Shit, sorry," He realized it was his fault that they came over. "I guess I should've called them," He shrugged, reaching for and scratching the back of his head regretfully.

"It's fine. I mean sooner or later we'd have to face them, right? I don't think you could've hidden this from them for six months," she said.

"You'd be surprised. They never come over. Well to be fair, they hated Baz, so they avoided her like the plague," he tried to kid.

"I can see why," she lightly chuckled. It was the first decent conversation the two of them had in a while. She missed this. She missed him.

Ben was a bit nervous to ask Rey this next question.

"Um… did you say anything about Vegas?"

"No," Rey quickly responded and shook her head. "I didn't think it was my place to say anything without knowing if you wanted to tell them."

With a sigh of relief, Ben thanked her for not bringing it up with his parents.

"Do you… do you think we can keep that between us for now? I mean, I don't have the best track record with them. If they found out about the court thing…" he trailed off. His thoughts were diverting to the many times in his life he'd disappointed his parents. That he wasn't worthy of being called their son.

"I won't say a thing," she gently patted his hand. He looked up at her and was assured by her soft smile. Too soon, she let go of her touch and retreated her hand back to her own lap.

Then something dawned on Ben.

"How did they know we were married?"

Rey sheepishly raised her left hand, this part was her fault, and shyly chuckled while reminding him that she was wearing her wedding ring.

"Oh. Right," he laughed along.

_***Flashback to about 10 minutes before Ben came home*** _

_Rey stepped inside the loft and set her bags down before shedding her cardigan. It was the start of summer and the beauty of living in Southern California was that the weather was slowly transitioning to t-shirt and flip-flop weather. She figured another week and she would no longer need to wear a sweater until September. She walked over to the counter and scanned the mail that Ben picked up before he went to his class. As much as she felt guilty for avoiding him the past few weeks, she was happy that he wasn't giving up on his studies and found other resources to help him prepare._

_Unexpectedly, the there was a knock on the door. Rey placed the mail on the desk and curiously walked over to see who it was._

_When she opened the door, she didn't need to wonder much who the two people standing in front of her were. The woman, a short lady, was none other than Leia Solo, business maven and CEO of Skywalker Enterprises. The taller gentleman, however, gave it all away. With his broad shoulders, strong jaw and slightly crooked nose, she knew that he was Ben's father. Ben pretty much inherited everything from the man, with the exception of his mother's deep brown eyes._

" _Why hello there," Leia greeted the strange girl in her son's apartment._

_Normally when she would visit, which wasn't as often anyway, the women in Ben's apartment weren't even worthy of acknowledgement. Ben was a lady's man, she knew that. She only wished her son wouldn't pick such low hanging fruit like his last girlfriend, Bazine. But this girl. With soft brown hair, welcoming eyes and a kind smile – this girl was certainly different. In a good way, Leia thought._

" _Um, hello," Rey said shyly. "Can I help you?"_

" _Hey sweetheart, we're Ben's parents. Han and Leia. Is he here?" the man greeted._

_That confirmed it._

" _Unfortunately, no he's out at the moment. He should be back soon though," she said to them. Not wanting to be rude, she kept talking. "Why don't you come in," she stepped aside and let his parents enter._

" _Sorry to intrude, dear," Leia said as she placed her purse on the breakfast table. "You probably heard from Ben that he and his father got into a little spat at work. I'm forcing my two grumpy boys to make up."_

_It was weird that Leia had assumed Ben and Rey shared personal things. It was even weirder that she and Han didn't seem to be suspicious of some random woman's presence in their son's loft._

" _So," Han propped himself on a stool at the kitchen counter. Leia sat beside him. "What's your name, beautiful?"_

" _Rey," she managed to say. "Would you two fancy a beverage?"_

" _Love one," He smiled. "I like her, she's nice," he said to his wife._

_Rey walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer. Thankfully there were still some bottles left from Ben's poker night. She twisted it open and handed it to Han. Leia had requested wine, so she grabbed the extra wine bottle from the shelf that Phasma left during their dinner, grabbed the proper utensils and brought them to the counter. As she prepped to open the bottle of wine, Leia spent the time carefully studying her._

" _Dear, don't take this the wrong way, but who are you?" she smiled warmly._

_She really didn't mean any offense since Rey understood that there was much clarification needed. However, Rey was a deer in headlights, not knowing what was safe to say about their current situation. For the first time in the past two weeks she desperately wished for Ben to come home and save her._

" _I'm… Ben's roommate," she said._

_Han almost choked on his beer. He laughed so hard that the room practically vibrated from his voice._

" _Is that what you kids call it nowadays?"_

_Rey immediately began to blush._

" _Han don't be rude," Leia swatted at him, though a smile crept on her face as well. She turned back to Rey. "Roommates you say. Ben never mentioned having a roommate."_

" _Y-yes," Rey said. "It was fairly recent. Ben was very kind to let me move in so fast. We're mutual friends with Poe Dameron. Ben says you know him."_

" _Oh that's wonderful! We haven't seen Poe since Ben was in high school."_

" _Yeah, he and Ben were a handful back then," Han chuckled._

" _I wasn't even aware Poe lived nearby."_

" _He lives down in Venice Beach," Rey shared. "But he owns the Cantina on the Pier."_

_Rey raised her arm and gestured to the direction behind her to emphasize where Poe's bar was located in conjunction to their loft. She didn't need to, but she was nervous, so she didn't really think about her actions._

_Leave it to Leia to study her actions intently. Suddenly, her eyes widened; a measured smirk splayed across her face._

" _Rey, is that really all that this is? You and my son being roommates?"_

_She tried to feign confusion. Damn this woman was clever. She was about ready to come up with a believable explanation when Leia gently reached across the island and paused Rey from uncorking the bottle of wine that she was struggling to do so this whole time. Normally it was easy to open, but Rey was so nervous about this whole conversation that she was fidgeting with everything she touched. Leia grabbed her left hand and gently lifted it for all of them to see._

_**Her ring**_ _._

_Hans eyes nearly popped out of his skull._

" _Is that… are you…?" he was at a loss for words._

_She was cornered. There was no other way out. She slowly took in a deep breath before completing Han's sentence._

" _I'm… Ben's wife."_

_***End Flashback*** _

"I mean," Ben huffed after Rey explained what happened moments before he got home. "I'm not surprised my mom figured it out so fast. Nothing gets past her," he chuckled.

"Yeah," she let out a sigh of relief. "She said that other than the ring, your place seemed cleaner than usual."

"Does everyone think I'm a slob?!" he exclaimed. She lightly giggled at that.

"Come on, we better get back out there before you dad thinks we're doing something else," she shuddered at that thought.

Before their poker night incident, there were nights where Rey's thoughts might have wandered to the night that she spent with Ben in Vegas… And yes, she may have thought about how it would feel doing that _activity_ with him again… And Ben, well, he definitely thought about it too. But that was inappropriate right now, and Rey thought how horrible it would be if Han was thinking the same thing while the two of them were hiding in their bedroom.

With that, she got up and walked towards the door. Before Ben stood up, he felt like it was his chance to speak.

"Um, Rey?" His voice was riddled with remorse.

When she looked at him, finally after two weeks, he was at a loss for words.

She knew what he wanted to talk about. And while she would have still wanted to avoid it, she knew they should talk. But now was not the time as they had to survive an evening with his parents without bringing up their current legal obligations. Instead, she gently smiled and assured him that everything would be discussed later. She reached over and offered her hand. He gladly took it and stood up to follow her out the door. Although she had only offered her hand to help him up, neither person thought to let go. They stayed interlinked as they walked back to the kitchen where his parents were waiting. Leia was the first to notice their connection and boy did she beam when she saw them together.

"Adorable," she cooed.

Ben ordered some dinner to be delivered and thankfully it would take less than twenty minutes since the restaurant was only a couple blocks away. The four adults sat at the counter and steadily formed a casual conversation. As he and Rey suspected, most of it would be about the two of them.

"So how long have you two been together?" Han started.

"Not long, few months," Ben answered.

"And you got married?" Leia furrowed her eyebrows.

 _Here comes the criticism,_ Ben thought. He only hoped they wouldn't shame Rey. He could handle them, but he didn't want anyone hurting her.

"Oh, come on Leia, don't act so surprised. We barely dated six months before getting married," Han shared. "Kids these days are so fast paced. Pretty soon after one date they'll be running to the alter."

Neither Ben nor Rey dared to make any eye contact with themselves or his parents. They didn't know if they'd make it out alive tonight.

"You're right, Han. It doesn't matter. Our son's happy. It's all that matters," she smiled proudly at Ben.

Han polished his beer and got up to grab another one.

"You want a beer son? Rey?"

"No, Rey and I aren't drinking." Ben said ever so casually, not thinking what the implications would mean to his parents.

For the second time that evening his mother grew wide-eyed.

"Are you two expecting?!"

"You're pregnant?!"

"What?! N-" Ben and Rey tried to get a word in.

He and Rey were stunned, but then again not surprised that they came to that conclusion. Still, they were startled at their reactions.

"Is that why you two got married so fast?" Han put his beer down and came face-to-face with his son. "I mean, it's the admiral thing to marry the mother of your child but did you two think this through?! Apparently not enough because you knocked her up!"

"No, no, no! Dad, Rey's not pregnant. And that's not why I married her, okay? Can we all just calm down?!"

His parents were dumbstruck. Was he telling the truth?

"Sorry for the confusion," Rey said calmly, holding on to Ben's arm to keep his temper at bay. "What Ben meant was that we are on this new diet and are cutting back on alcohol for a couple months."

 _Nice save_ , he mentally said to her. _Hopefully they take it_ , she nonverbally said to him.

"So… no one's pregnant?" Han needed the clarification.

"No sir," Rey answered. "All good," she tapped her belly. This made Han chuckle.

"Alright. Sorry for the blow up, kid," he patted his son's shoulder and sat back down next to his wife.

Thankfully the food came shortly after and they all sat and ate for a bit, with light conversation following that unintended blow up.

"So Rey, by your accent I assume you came from across the pond, am I right?" Han joked.

Rey giggled and nodded, "Yes, I'm from London. I came to California for college about seven years ago. Got a job right after so I stayed here."

"What do you do?" Han asked.

"I work at a nonprofit for underprivileged kids in Mid-City. Just right here in downtown Santa Monica."

"Oh, how wonderful," Leia replied. "What got you into wanting to work for that type of organization?" Leave it to Leia to be so formal in business affairs and what not around the dinner table.

"Um," Rey hesitated.

Ben knew this answer because Rey had told him before. He also knew the sensitivity of the subject.

"Hey, you don't have to answer her if you don't want to," he reached over and patted her hand. Then he turned to his mother. "Mom let's not get into too much specifics please?"

Leia looked concerned as she witnessed Ben soothing an uncomfortable Rey.

"I'm sorry did I said something offensive?" she was sincerely confused.

"No, it's okay," she reassured Ben, even flipping her hand under his to grab his fingers for a light squeeze. She then turned to Leia to supply an answer. "I grew up in the foster system, so I know how these kids feel. Just want to play my part and help them out. I know I'd be glad if I had help when I was their age."

"Oh, my dear," Leia went into full mother mode, got up from her chair and walked to the other side of the counter, hugging Rey from the side.

"Mom," Ben grumbled.

"Oh hush, she's my daughter-in-law now, I can hug her if I want to," she swatted Ben the same way she swatted Han.

Rey giggled a little at that. She was also slightly surprised and dare she say happy when Leia had given her the title of 'daughter-in-law'. Legally she was, but it didn't dawn on Rey until just now that although this was temporary for her and Ben, she was again part of a family. This both thrilled and saddened her.

After their embrace, they settled back into the conversation.

"What is it that you do at your nonprofit?" Leia asked.

"I'm the outreach and planning and development coordinator. It's a small firm so I wear a lot of hats. We're preparing for our gala at the end of the month."

"Are you talking about the gala in Catalina?"

"Yes, ma'am," Rey nodded.

She knew Skywalker Enterprises had gotten an invitation. It was the wealthiest business in the greater Los Angeles area. Even a small firm like hers would be dumb not to send an invite their way. But of course Rey wouldn't dare try to schmooze Leia with her work. Especially not after just meeting her and introducing herself as her son's new wife.

"Han sweetheart, didn't I mention that I got an invitation from my assistant about that?"

"I don't even remember what I had for breakfast this morning, princess," Han chuckled. "But that does sound familiar."

"Rey, do you know an Amilyn Holdo?" Leia asked her.

"Yes, she's actually a benefactor of ours. Long time. She's good friends with my boss, Lando Calrissian."

"Ah Lando, of course! We've done business with him before. He's an old friend as well. Good man."

"Your boss is Lando?! He's probably a handful, that son of a gun," Han chuckled.

"Wow, you really are in the big leagues like my mom," Ben smirked at Rey. She shot a teasing glare at him in return.

These small moments between the young couple put a smile on his parents' faces.

"Rey's been shouldering all the planning for this event," Ben bragged about her to his parents. He knew she wouldn't, and he wanted her to get the recognition she deserved. "It's going to be huge," he squeezed her hand. She smiled at him appreciatively but flushed at the attention she was getting.

"Ben please don't try to persuade your parents to come to the event," Rey was embarrassed.

"It's going to be a good one though," he sing-songed to his mom. "Right?" he asked Rey.

Even she had to admit it would be grand. She was planning the whole thing anyway.

"Yeah, okay. It's actually going to be great," she chuckled. "You two really should consider."

"Well now that I know it won't be too boring, maybe we should go honey," Han suggested to his wife.

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea after all," Leia agreed.

Ben winked at Rey as she nudged his shoulder and mouthed a 'thank you' to him.

"So," Han changed the subject. "What're you up to these days, son? Find another job?"

"Han," Leia warned him.

"No dad. Unemployed at the moment."

Ben brought his hands under the table to rest on his lap. He did that when was tense, Rey had noticed lately. It helped him control his emotions.

"Of course," Han scoffed about ready to get into it with his son.

Ben tried his best to keep his composure for the sake of the ladies at the table.

"Actually, Ben is studying to take his pilot's exam," Rey offered. She didn't know if that was a good or bad thing to say but she tried her best to help.

Rey slowly reached over to his lap to rub the top of his resting hand. This helped him calm down immensely. Not wanting her to let go, he flipped his hand over and intertwined their fingers. Although they were on the other side of the island and this was happening under the counter, Leia knew exactly what was happening between the two. It didn't help that a tiny blush crept up on both their faces either. It warmed her heart to see how affectionate and caring this woman was towards her son.

"Oh, he is huh?" Han was half-amused. "You actually going to finish it this time?"

"Don't make me hit you in front of our son and his wife," Leia sent a final warning.

Han held his hands up to surrender, agreeing to stop with his brashness.

"I'm going to finish it this time, dad. Don't worry. Rey's been helping me study and I took a review course for it."

"Wow, this seems serious," Han was surprised at Ben's confidence. "You got a background in aviation? This stuff can get pretty heavy," he asked Rey.

"My foster dad was a mechanic so I can sort of grasp a few of the technical terms. Enough for Ben to hold all the information in at least."

"A mechanic huh?" Again, Han was impressed. "Well, you're a good influence on my boy. Thank you, sweetheart," he winked at her.

Ben squeezed Rey's hand, showing her appreciation. She glanced at him and smiled. They certainly missed this closeness from the past two weeks. In that moment, they forgot all about why they were distant and happily fell back into their comfortable bubble with ease.

Ben and Han went out to the terrace after their meal. Leia had told them to reconcile else she would take matters into her own hands. Scared of the tiny woman, the two men went outside to talk. It took a while, but they eventually settled the air and hugged it out. Now they were talking about random things – probably baseball as Rey knew Ben and Han shared the love for the sport. Leia stayed behind and insisted in helping Rey clean up and do the dishes. As she wiped one of the plates dry, she peered outside and smiled at her two men finally being on good terms.

"Here you go, dear," she handed Rey the clean plate and put the dish towel on the counter.

Rey took the plate from Leia and before she put it away, she glanced at the sight that Leia was observing. She saw Ben and his father having a good time. This pleased her as she was happy for Ben that he was reconnecting with his family.

Rey finally put the plate away with the rest of the clean dinnerware. She offered Leia a cup of coffee, and when she brewed them, the two ladies sat at the small table to sip their drinks.

"You know," Leia started, "Ben has dated very… _different_ women. But you are easily my favorite one."

"You're too kind," Rey said softly, sipping her mug to try to keep a blush from forming.

"I don't need to ask how this came to be with you two, I'm just happy you found each other."

"Leia," Rey couldn't hide this blush. "Thank you."

"My son, he can be closed off at times, but if he trusts you, he won't hesitate to say what's on his mind."

"He's truly a kind soul," Rey muttered.

She looked over to where he and his father were at the balcony, still laughing and so happy. She didn't realize a smile had formed on her lips. Leia of course noticed and knew the way Rey was looking at her son that this was pure _love_. She couldn't help but feel pride in knowing that Ben had found a suitable partner for himself.

"Take care of him for me, will you?" Leia asked her softly.

Rey simply nodded and smiled. In that moment, she chose not to listen to the voice in the back of her head trying to remind her of how complicated this entire thing really was, and not to make promises to a kind lady that she didn't know if she could keep.

Han eventually stepped back inside with Ben and walked over to the ladies.

"Well, this has been a great evening," Han said. "But I have to take the missus home. She's got an early morning in Van Nuys tomorrow."

"We should do this again."

Han, Leia and Rey were shocked to hear those words come out of Ben of all people.

Leia was ecstatic; she almost broke into tears at what her son had said. Then she perked up remembering something.

"Oh sweetheart, you and Rey should come to the family picnic this weekend. It's the Fourth of July and your uncle Luke is having a barbecue."

"Do you want to go?" he asked Rey. It was one to introduce her to his parents, but this soiree would involve more people and more explanation of their nuptials. However, he thought Rey might enjoy it, and he just wanted her to be happy.

"It's sounds like fun," she said to him. "If you think it's fine, we should go."

"My uncle does make a mean brisket," he told her, knowing her love for the food.

"Say no more, you convinced me!" she giggled.

"Well count us in then, mom," he said before hugging Leia.

"I've taught you well son," Han chuckled at his son's decision. "Happy wife, happy life."

"It was such a pleasure to meet you dear." Leia gave Rey a strong embrace.

Ben and Rey once again thanked them for coming and shut the door once they left. They both breathed a sigh of relief and looked at each other before bursting into hysterics.

"Oh bloody freaking hell! We're actually going to hell, aren't we?" Rey laughed.

"That felt like hell already. I was super worried of how the night would go," Ben chuckled.

Rey proceeded to bring her and Leia's coffee mugs from the table to wash them in the sink. Ben appeared beside her shortly as she was placing them on the rack to dry. She turned to him shyly.

"Thank you for doing this. It meant a lot to me."

She smiled at him.

"Your parents are lovely."

He grinned. How can someone like Rey, who he messed the past two weeks up with be this kind to him? He really didn't think he deserved her compassion.

"And Rey?" he said to her.

"Hmm?" she turned around to face him.

"I'm sorry," his eyes, vulnerable and pure, begged for forgiveness. "For everything."

"Ben, it's alright," she started to tell him.

"No. I want you to know that I don't think like my stupid college friends. Not anymore. And not like that about you," he pleaded.

"Let's just forget it happened, alright?" she kept her smile, showing him that she meant it, showing him she didn't want to waste any more time together in an awkward place.

It took a moment, but Ben finally accepted it and he smiled back. Any remaining awkward air, they both felt, had instantly gone away.

She offered him a hug as truce, and he enveloped her into a warm embrace. She sighed into his chest, closing her eyes, not wanting this familiarity to ever slip away again. He held her tight, nuzzling his nose in her hair, taking in her scent, not wanting to ever let go.

They should've talked more. Cleared up the air. But Rey knew and Ben knew that their time was limited. Only two months to go until their court appearance. Though they didn't want to admit anything else, they did want to continue this level of closeness for the remainder of the months they had left together. The two of them realized that tonight when they had dinner with his parents that they cared about each other, and they made each other happy. Why waste any more time apart?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Fourth Of July
> 
> "So," Hux cleared his throat, releasing Rey from her bliss. "I take it you and Ben made up?"
> 
> "I beg your pardon?"
> 
> "Ben keeps looking towards us and while I should be flattered, I'm pretty sure that permanent goofy smile on his face is actually for you."


	18. Fourth of July

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just wanted to say thank you to anyone who's read even a chapter of this, gave kudos, bookmarked, subscribed or commented. You guys are seriously the best. Thanks for giving this story a chance :) Enjoy this next chapter!

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**~XVIII. Fourth of July~**

As promised, Ben and Rey attended his uncle Luke's Fourth of July barbecue a couple days after his parents visited. Since Rey mentioned that Ben and Poe had recently reconnected, Leia immediately insisted they invite their friend along to the festivities. In fact, Han went so far to suggest Hux and Phasma attend too. He liked Ben's friends on the count of they were polite and really good support systems for his son. Naturally, this led to Ben asking for Rey if her friends Finn and Rose could attend as well. Might as well invite the whole gang. While it was a family affair, Leia considered everyone she met family and she happily agreed to all their friends' presence. This is how on that Saturday afternoon the collective group of friends were able to get together again to enjoy the summer holiday.

When his uncle found out that he was coming, Ben was asked to drop by and help him set up the grill in the morning. He planned to come back to Santa Monica to pick Rey up when he was done helping out, but Rey insisted he stay because the extra hour drive going back and forth would be unnecessary. Instead, she'd get a ride with her friends to his uncle's barbecue. Rey arrived with Finn, Rose and Poe a little after 2 PM because Poe needed to find someone to run the bar at the Cantina last minute. In his defense, Rey had asked her friends the day before about their invitation to the party and they were all surprised but nevertheless excited to be included.

On their drive to Ben's family party, she proceeded to tell them about the awkward meeting of Ben's parents that ended up going well by the end of the night. Naturally, Poe teased Rey that meeting Ben's parents and getting their approval was a good sign. Of course, Finn and Rose just had to poked fun at the subject as well.

"Things are getting pretty serious if you're meeting the parents," Finn teased their friend as the group walked down the cobblestone path from the driveway to the backyard.

"I don't think you can get any more serious than getting married," Rey said back. "Intentionally or not."

"Oh please, you two aren't even taking it seriously," Poe rolled his eyes. "Your stock ' _we're roommates_ ' response to anyone who asks."

"It was your idea, Poe!" Rey exclaimed.

"Yeah but you two didn't have to accept it," he told her. "I just laid out the breadcrumbs. I knew you two secretly wanted to shack up," he winked at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rey coyly dismissed.

"Like we haven't heard that excuse before," Rose rolled her eyes. She, Finn and Poe sniggered as Rey scowled at them.

Thankfully they had reached the back of the massive house to where the festivities were being held, ending their conversation.

"Is this where Ben grew up?!" Rey, Finn and Rose grew wide-eyed.

"No, his grandparents live here," Poe smiled, reminiscing the times he spent at that very house with Ben in their younger years. "Ben spent summers here, I tagged along a few times. Man, we had so much fun in this house."

"So this is how the other side lives," Finn said in disbelief. Rey and Rose, still in shock as well, nodded in agreement.

Ben's uncle Luke hosted his soiree at his and Leia's family estate in Malibu, a beautiful Victorian style mansion just minutes from the coast. They owned two luscious acres of land and the back yard seemed to have stretched for miles in each direction. They had utilized much of their land for his grandmother's horses to roam around, as well as the rest of the place with various recreational activities. A sand volleyball area, a basketball court that doubled as a tennis court, and a small baseball field - to name a few. And of course, a massive pool. Even with all these amenities, Poe pointed faintly to where their actual property line ended – several hundred yards beyond where they can see past the stables.

The main area, a large wooden deck that wrapped around three sides of the house, was where Ben's mother Leia was settled until she spotted them.

"Mama Leia!" Poe shrieked, rushing towards the all too familiar woman and scooped her up into a huge bear hug.

"Poe Dameron, it's so great to see you," Leia said almost teary-eyed. "How long has it been?"

"Well Ben and I kept in touch his first couple years of college. Before he went to Ireland, I think. But we haven't seen each other in 12 years." He informed the older woman.

"My how time has flown! You look just like your father," she beamed at him. "How're your folks?"

"They're great! Mom's retired since her back surgery never fully recovered. She helps dad most days at the shop."

"I should definitely give them a ring some time," Leia smiled. "I'm so glad you and Ben reconnected after so many years."

"Well you can thank Rey for that," he motioned to his friend who was nervously standing behind him.

Leia's face brightened more than it already had when she heard Rey's name. After having dinner with Ben and Rey a couple nights ago, she couldn't stop telling Han how overjoyed she was of her son's nuptials with the perfect woman. Han had to agree that he saw something change in his son, a good change, and betted that it had something to do with the new woman in his life as well.

"Rey," she said in the most delicate, nurturing voice. She held out her arms and allowed Rey to step forward to give her a proper embrace.

"Leia, it's wonderful to see you again. This is a lovely home," Rey shyly spoke. Although they had already met and the two ladies had shared a special chat after dinner, she was still nervous around her 'mother-in-law'.

"These are our friends Finn and Rose," Poe introduced the others. They kindly shook hands with the older woman. "Where's Ben?" he then asked.

"Where else? He's playing softball with the little ones. They miss their favorite coach," she pointed towards the direction of the field.

Ben was running around with a group of younger children trying to steal bases and run to home plate. He was a giant towering over them. Then again, Ben towered over a lot of people. Rey let out a small giggle as she watched him let out his youthful side, an expression that didn't go unnoticed by her friends.

"Is that Phasma and Hux?" Finn spotted the other couple sitting in lawn chairs across the deck.

"Yes, Ben and Rey mentioned you all got acquainted. I'm glad you are all here. Please enjoy yourselves," Leia welcomed them further into the yard. "Rey come, I want to introduce my _daughter-in-law_ to the rest of the family," she excitedly yelped, gently tugging her arm towards the direction of a larger crowd.

The three friends held in snickers going the opposite direction, seeing Rey glare at them with an obvious blush on her cheeks, knowing they were referring to the title Leia had given to her.

The two ladies reached the deck and met with the man in charge of the grill.

"Luke, I'd like you to meet Rey, my daughter-in-law," she squealed at the last part. Leia was still over the moon about Rey and Ben's union and wanted everyone to know her joy. "Dear this is my twin brother Luke, Ben's uncle."

"Ahh so you're the infamous Rey," Luke placed the tongs he was using to flip the meat on the grill to properly shake her hand. "Han was not exaggerating, you are beautiful."

"Thank you," Rey blushed. "And thanks for letting my friends and I crash your party."

"Honey, I got about fifty pounds of meat left to grill. We can feed an army!" Luke chuckled.

Leia then proceeded to introduce Rey to Luke's wife Mara, Ben's grandparents Padme and Anakin, his cousin Ahsoka, Anakin's step-brother Obi-Wan Kenobi whom Ben was named after, and way more people to which Rey couldn't keep track of their names. The sentiments were the same – they congratulated her and Ben's marriage and complimented her beauty. It was pretty hard for her to hide her colored cheeks from all the kind words.

After about fifteen minutes of introductions, the spotlight shifted thankfully from Rey to something Luke's wife Mara mentioned about their remodel project in their Los Feliz home. Rey was able to stand off to the side with Leia and enjoy some refreshments and of course brisket. She watched as Ben finished up his softball game, to which she still couldn't believe he coached. When he spotted her, Ben skipped over to where Rey was lounging with some people in tow.

"Hey there," Ben greeted her with a lopsided grin. Two little kids were using him as a jungle gym with one clinging to his leg and the other climbing onto his back.

"Hey yourself," she grinned at him. "I didn't know you coached a softball team."

"I've still got a few secrets up my sleeve," he smirked. He then grabbed the kid behind him and swung the boy around like a pretend airplane.

"Uncle Ben, put me down!" the boy giggled. He gently placed the child on the ground in between himself and Rey.

"Rey, this is my nephew and best friend Korkie – don't tell Poe and Hux – he's Obi-Wan's great grandson. And this little munchkin down here," he grabbed the little girl still clinging to his leg and picked her up, tickling her sides, "is my niece Ashla, Ahsoka's daughter."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Rey kneeled down to their level.

"You're really pretty," Ashla said. Of all people to make her blush the hardest, it was the little six-year-old fiddling with loose strands of Rey's hair in front of her.

"Thank you, you're really pretty too," she smiled at her. Surprised, the little girl beamed brightly and gave her a tight hug. This kid was too precious.

The boy tugged on her blouse. "My great grandpa said you married my uncle Ben," he said, seeming serious.

Rey was surprised again. "Y-yes I did," she nervously replied. She looked up to Ben to ask for help. Even he was shocked.

The boy thought for a moment. "Then I guess we're family now!" he then smiled and hugged Rey as well. These kids were so adorable. "Do you play softball?"

"No, but my best friend Rose does. She's really good. Ask Ben," she smirked at him.

He rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Do you play any sports," he continued to ask.

"I know a little bit of martial arts. Do you know what that is?"

"Oh yeah, my great grandpa and Ben's grandpa did that stuff when they were kids," he nodded. "They did a lot of sword-fighting I think."

"The only sword-fighting I know is fencing. Some Kendo too." Rey was impressed that this eight-year-old boy nodded and understood what she was saying. "I preferred stick-fighting more though. Bojutsu was my favorite."

"Yeah that's pretty fun," Korkie agreed with her.

"Wow," Ben uttered. He was surprised to learn this of Rey.

She stood back up to his level and smirked.

"I told you I knew my way around a stick," she teased.

"No I believe that," he chuckled. "It's just, I didn't know you were a fan of martial arts is all," he was still blown away.

She looked at him teasingly, lowered her voice and said, "You're not the only one with secrets."

If it weren't already a hot summer day and he didn't just finish a grueling softball game, Rey would've noticed Ben's cheeks burning brighter than the bowl of punch sitting on the table next to them.

After a brief water break, the younger children asked Ben if they could play another game of softball. This time, Rose, Finn, Poe and Phasma joined in. Meanwhile, Rey had been taken inside by Han and Anakin to ogle at the classic cars in the garage, an impressive collection by Ben's grandfather that Han and he shared a love for. Han remembered that Rey's foster dad was a mechanic, so he took a shot in the dark that she was into automobiles. She was indeed. Hux also tagged along as she newly learned that he too was a classic car enthusiast. The prized possession of course was a replica of the famous science-fiction movie _Back to the Future_ \- a DMC DeLorean. After spending a considerable amount of time admiring Anakin's impressive collection, Leia hollered for the four of them to return to the yard as to not miss out on the festivities.

Rey and Hux grabbed some refreshments and decided to head to the bleachers to watch their friends play softball with the youngsters.

"Ben's grandfather has an impressive car collection, I'm a bit jealous," Rey confessed.

"The first time I came here, I squealed so loud, Phas made fun of me for three days," Hux chuckled.

As they sipped their beverages and watched the game in front of them, Hux noticed from his peripheral how Ben was stealing glances and crooked grins at Rey, who of course returned the silly gestures. He just _had_ to play with this.

"So," Hux cleared his throat, releasing Rey from her bliss. "I take it you and Ben made up?"

Rey furrowed her brows, "I beg your pardon?"

"Ben keeps looking towards us and while I should be flattered, I'm pretty sure that permanent goofy smile on his face is actually for you," he teased.

"I don't know what you're talking about," tints of pink were evident on Rey's cheeks.

"Come on Rey," Hux rolled his eyes. "Don't you forget the last time I saw you, our college buddies said stupid things. Drunk fucks. When you left to see your friends you and Ben acted strange."

"Oh, right." Rey didn't really want to relive that time. She and Ben decided to just let it go and move on.

"For what it's worth though, I hope Ben told you how moronic they were. We're probably not going to hang out with them anymore. He felt really bad that you overheard."

"It's okay, Ben and I are good now," she assured him.

"I'm glad. I'd hate for you two to have bad blood because of a bunch of drunk idiots who don't know how to mind their own business," he said.

"I appreciate it, Hux," she said. "And thanks for sticking up for Ben. He's lucky to have a friend like you," she smiled warmly at him.

"He's lucky to have a forgiving wife like you," he winked playfully.

She rolled her eyes and chuckled at his remark.

"I guess you're right though, I am lucky," Hux said. "When I met Ben in college, he helped an awkward shy kid with a fading Irish accent fit in."

"Hey, accents aren't embarrassing!" she teased.

"No, they're not," Hux laughed in agreement. "But when you're a skinny twig, with pale skin, carrot top hair and a weird non-British accent that people usually associate 'accents' with, it's a bit disconcerting," they both laughed.

"I can still hear it sometimes when you speak," she said to him.

"Yeah it's still somewhere in me. But after living in America for twenty years, you start to sound like everyone else. I'm surprised yours is still intact," he said.

"Well, I've only been here seven years, but I highly doubt I'll lose my 'accent'," she and Hux chuckled. "However, ever since I met Poe, I've conformed to the 'American lingo' more than my own."

"Yeah. Phas and Ben had their time our first year of college making fun of my 'goofy words' as they say," Hux joked.

"That was Poe with me!" Rey agreed. "You teach the man the word 'wanker' and he won't stop saying it, so I stopped saying it," she giggled. "But you shouldn't be ashamed of your accent, Hux. It's what makes you, you," she smiled at him.

"Yeah, that's what Ben told me when we first met," he told her. "It's why he became my best friend."

Rey smiled at the thought.

"That's the thing about Ben," Hux said. "He told me to embrace who I was. So even though I was losing the strong accent, I stopped being embarrassed for letting a word or two slip now and then. And that made me confident. That's how I won Gwen over."

Hux and Phasma, being kids who were brought up by military parents, were used to calling people by their last names. It was when they met Ben that they learned that not everyone wanted to be referred by their surnames because like Ben, it was hard to live up to a name sometimes. So, they continued to only call themselves by their last names. Ben told Rey that they'd only use first names when it was serious. Like when Hux asked Phasma to be his girlfriend and when Phasma asked Hux to move in with her. Hearing Hux right now say the name "Gwen" made Rey happy to know that this man truly loved his girlfriend. She wondered if she'd ever have that feeling with herself and… Ben. _Wait, what?_

"You and Phas are so great together," Rey spoke sincerely. "You make her so happy."

"Thanks Rey," he beamed. "But I can't take all the credit. Ben's the one who introduced us. Thought we were a match made in heaven. If it wasn't for his pushing, I would've never met the love of my life."

"Aww," she said to him and smiled at the thought of Ben playing matchmaker. _Who knew_.

She turned her attention back to the game, watching her friends play, but mostly watching Ben and his carefree happiness. It was her favorite thing about him.

"Ben's a really good guy. He protects the people he cares about," Hux said out of the blue. Of course, his underlying reason was to push his buddy and this woman to get together already, but they seriously were moving slower than molasses.

Rey didn't know why he said that, but it stuck. She wondered if she was someone he cared about.

"He is pretty great," Rey said to no one in particular.

She glanced at the man she had just talked about and while he was currently chasing Finn to try to tag him before he reached the next base, she softly smiled at him. Hux had never seen that expression on her. Sure, he's seen her smile and he's seen her blush many, _many_ times, though this candidness that she exuded towards his best friend – who wasn't even aware she was looking at him – was different. It was her current state that despite the jokes, Hux had a sure feeling that Ben and Rey were brewing up something more.

The softball game shortly ended, and the rest of the day was filled with good company and pure fun. Poe and Hux started a pickup volleyball game with some other guests while Finn, Rose and Phasma dipped their feet at the edge of the pool sipping mojitos and celebrating in victory after beating Poe and Ben's team in softball.

Meanwhile, Rey and Ben had been challenged by Leia and Han to a game of disc golf. Leia and Padme were exceptionally skilled at the sport, to which Ben had been made fun of when he was younger for not inheriting the genes for this mastery. Though everyone was surprised at how quickly Rey picked up the skills at the game.

They were on the last hole of the mini six-hole course built on the far side of their yard. Leia and Han were embarrassingly overtaking Rey and Ben since Leia had successfully scored her last few attempts in just two tries, driving she and Han's score much higher than the other team.

"Rey sweetheart," Han gestured for her attention from across the field. "You see that scoreboard over there?"

He pointed towards a large chalkboard nailed to the side of the back of the main structure's wall. There were titles of the different activities available in their yard and names under each one indicating records, best players, and recent winners. This explained so much of Ben's love for sports, Rey thought. His entire family was competitive. Under 'DISC GOLF', Leia was the recent winner and holder of the most wins record, and Padme was the holder of the most points in a single game as well as holder of the most aces (hole-in-ones).

"Leia is a disc golf champion. Ben's never won against her," he embarrassingly revealed. "Isn't that right, princess!" he hollered across the green to his wife.

"Daaad!" Ben grunted.

"Han don't embarrass our boy in front of his girl," Leia hissed. "Besides, I'm already doing that," she smirked.

Rey muffled a laugh. Ben waved them off and turned to Rey, bent slightly and resting his hands above his knees as if the two of them were in a huddle. She giggled at his seriousness.

"Okay we're screwed," He blurted.

"Nice pep talk, coach," she teased.

"No, Rey. I've never won in a disc golf game with my mom. She and grandma are pros."

"Relax Ben, I think I've held up well for our team."

"No, you literally carried the team," he said to her. "Which is why you should take the last hole."

"Oh and put the pressure on me?" she slapped his arm.

"It doesn't put it on me," he joked. This earned another slap from her.

"Oi. You're impossible," she giggled. "Gimme the disc."

He handed it to her and gave her two playful thumbs up.

"You got this."

She blithely rolled her eyes and turned towards her target. Before she could even focus, Han uttered something else.

"You know you can just forfeit now, sweetheart," He bellowed. "Unless you can get an ace, Leia and I win."

Leia laughed mockingly but chided her husband for the remark anyway.

Rey turned to Ben, who was shaking his head in humiliation, though he couldn't help but snicker because the pressure was on Rey and not him for once. He raised his arms and shrugged, letting her decide if she wanted to forfeit. She facetiously glared and stuck her tongue out at him before turning back around. Trying to focus the best she could – although Han was purposely trying to distract her - she took in a deep breath and clutched at the disc in her hand. In one swift toss the red disc glided in the air. The loud clanking of chains followed a brief silence shared among the four players.

"ACE!"

Elated, Rey ran towards Ben and leapt into his awaiting arms, legs wrapped around his waist and limbs flailing in the air, both cheering while he spun her around happily.

Leia and Han, after a fleeting moment of shock, laughed it off and instead of being upset for their loss enjoyed the intimate spectacle of their son and his wife reveling in their glory.

The celebration turned a few heads since Ben and Rey cheered noisily. Mara, Padme and Anakin who were sitting with Luke by the grill glanced over and smiled at the occurrence.

"Yep, she'll fit right in with the family," Luke nodded approvingly.

Hux and Poe, who were playing volleyball just on the other side of the disc golf course looked at each other and smirked at their two friends embracing.

" _'Just roommates'_ my ass," Poe chuckled.

Finn, Rose and Phasma sat at the edge of the pool, amazed at what just happened and couldn't believe it with their own eyes. The jaw dropping moment of not only winning, but Rey leaping into Ben's arms and the two reveling in excitement was a sight to see.

"They're totally in love," Rose declared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Gala Weekend Pt. 1 (Will You Be My Plus One?; A Formal Affair)
> 
> "Hey Ben?"
> 
> "Yeah?"
> 
> "Do you want to... maybe... go with me to my gala next weekend?"


	19. Gala Weekend Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Alright, let me tell you about this part of the story. I'm going to say this a lot, especially in the second half (Act II), but this was one of my favorite chapters to write. Rey's been talking about this gala for so long, there needed to be a turning point chapter and this is it. Like the movie with the same name, this part of the film was their turning point as well.
> 
> HOWEVER... I wrote so much for this part of the story that it went almost 10k words so I had to split it up lol. Hence why we have Gala Weekend Pt. 1 & 2\. Hope you enjoy!

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**~XIX. Gala Weekend Pt. 1~**

**_~i. Will You Be My Plus One?~_ **

Monday came too soon after such a high spirited Fourth of July weekend. Rey, who usually picked up hours on the weekends to work overtime to prepare for the gala, skipped both days to enjoy a weekend with Ben, their friends and his family. As expected, she was met with a mountain of paperwork on her desk that morning. Ever since the scolding by Lando, Snap wasted no time in making the office a living hell for Rey. She was expecting it and while she didn't like his antics, she never showed it affecting her, which drove Snap crazy. He started picking up slack and doing his own paperwork (so he says, but Rey knows he makes his assistant do it for him) and kisses Lando's butt during every meeting. Rey in turn had been working extra hard with the planning aspect, securing things in place, naturally pleasing her boss, much to Snap's chagrin.

"Andor! I was surprised to hear you weren't in the office this weekend. Glad you finally took some time off for the holiday," her boss Lando stopped by her desk after their morning meeting. "What'd you do for the Fourth?" He took a sip of his coffee awaiting her response.

Rey wasn't on bad terms with Lando, in fact it was hard to get on the man's bad side. He wasn't an intimidating man. When it came to business, he was authoritative, though he found a balance in camaraderie to allow a better workplace for his employees. However, the past few weeks had been very busy for everyone with business dealings (the summer months were the busiest), and event planning that it had been quite some time since she had a casual conversation with anyone at the office, let alone her boss. Which was why him dropping by her desk for a brief chat threw her off balance for a second.

"Rey? Hello?" Lando waved a hand in front of her face.

After shaking off the small shock, she was able to reply.

"Sorry, was completely out of it for a sec. First cup of coffee hasn't gone through my system yet," she tried to joke.

This made Lando chuckle.

"Right, Fourth of July," she remembered what he asked. "I went to a barbecue with my husband's family."

Rey froze in her seat. She realized too late she had just shared that tidbit and couldn't take it back.

This time Lando almost spit out his coffee. "Your husband?! You're married now?!"

"Y-yeah, didn't I tell you? I could've sworn I mentioned it," she tried to play it cool.

Of course she didn't tell him. But she didn't know what else to say to her boss' response. She didn't tell anyone at work. Aside from Leia introducing her to the Skywalker-Solo clan, the only ones who knew of her nuptials were their friends. And they wanted to keep it that way. The less people who knew the better.

"No, and I'm a little hurt I didn't get an invite," her boss replied.

She wasn't sure if he was being serious or joking. A part of her feared that it might've hurt her chances for a promotion.

"I'm sorry, it was just a spur of the moment thing. We eloped actually."

Why the hell was she sharing something so personal with her boss?!

"Ah, young love," he crooned. "I take it you're bringing him to the gala then?"

"Well-"

"You should definitely bring him. I want to meet this fella. You're one of my top dogs here, Andor. I want to meet the guy who was lucky enough to snag you," He smirked.

"Uh-"

Before she could put in another word, Lando turned and walked away, whistling as he went on sipping his morning coffee.

Despite planning for this event for nearly five months, Rey had dismissed the thought of even thinking about taking anyone as her date. She and Hobbie were long over before this project even began so she assumed she'd go alone. Even living with Ben and getting more comfortable around him, Rey felt it would be too bold of a move to ask him to accompany her or that he would even be remotely interested in attending a work function. Though, if she were being honest, lately she had been thinking of asking him to be her plus one. Despite the awkward mishaps with Baz and his college friends, Rey had begrudgingly admitted to herself - and only herself - that she was becoming rather fond of Ben's presence. And with the weekend they spent together having fun at his family's estate, she would never admit this aloud that she was harboring strong (yet complicating) feelings for him. While terrified for what just happened between her and her boss, she was somewhat excited to have a good reason to ask Ben to go with her to the gala. As if she needed another reason in the first place.

The rest of the afternoon Rey couldn't really focus on her work. She had grown nervous and didn't know how to ask Ben to the event. Knowing she wouldn't get anything else done, she decided to call it an early day and head home.

When she reached the loft, she was surprised to see Ben in the kitchen trying to whip something up. Her apprehension had slipped away for now as she couldn't help but be tickled at the sight in front of her – Ben wearing a flour stained apron reading a cookbook and desperately trying to measure the right amount of whatever bottle he was holding onto a measuring spoon. When the door to the loft slammed shut, his head jerked up to an amused Rey.

"Baking something?" she stifled a laugh.

"Attempting to," he admitted. "I was going to scoop myself a bowl of ice cream when I had the sudden craving for a Pizookie."

"What's a Pizookie?" she couldn't help but chuckle at the peculiar word.

"What's a Piz- Are you serious?!" Ben was indubitably shocked. He placed the measuring spoon and bottle down and brought his attention back to Rey. "It's only a gluttonous masterpiece that brings together the two best confections in the history of desserts!" he gestured wildly flapping his arms for emphasis.

This time Rey let her amusement display freely. She couldn't take him seriously with his childlike actions.

"And that is?" she asked him.

"Ice cream on top of a skillet cookie," he proudly answered. "Basically, cookies a la mode," he said as a matter of fact.

"Sounds… very sugary," she chortled.

"I can't believe you've never tried it," he was still astonished by her revelation.

"Will you make me one?" she asked sweetly.

As if she needed to butter up to him. Ever since the barbecue, Ben was glued to her, wanting to do anything and everything will Rey all weekend. He may as well have been a puppy dog yearning for her attention.

"Well that's obvious now! You haven't lived until you've had a Pizookie!" Ben declared. His eagerness fleetingly died when he turned back to his mess. "Okay well, maybe we'll have to wait on that. I don't want to ruin your experience by giving you a charred block," he shrugged.

Rey simply shook her head and giggled, then went over to a drawer in the kitchen and pulled out another smock to wrap around her waist. She walked up beside Ben and playfully nudged his hip.

"What kind of cookie are we making?"

He had a lopsided grin and tried his best not to blush at their brief contact. He could definitely get used to this.

"Well the original Pizookie is just a chocolate chip cookie and vanilla ice cream. I've got the ice cream covered, just bought a new tub."

"Of course you did," she teased while wiping down a bit of the flour stained countertop. "Alright, let's make some cookies!"

For the next half hour, Rey helped Ben whip up a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies. As she taught him how to prepare the dough with a bit of her secret touches for the perfect cookie, he further explained how the Pizookie came to be. Next, Ben grabbed the two small skillets he bought right before his baking conquest and helped her press dough into the pans before setting them in the oven. While cleaning up and waiting for the cookies to bake, they continued to talk about their favorite desserts. Ben made fun of Rey for liking oatmeal raisin cookies - the most boring of the cookies - and Rey threatened to not make crème brulee - a favorite dessert of his - if he didn't stop making fun of her beloved oatmeal treats. Ben of course ceased his teasing because he was impressed that Rey knew how to make such a complicated dessert.

The timer chimed and Ben took it from there. He had Rey sit on a stool to watch as he removed the skillets from the oven and placed them on wood boards to cool. He proceeded to open the tub of vanilla ice cream and scooped up two almost perfect half circles of the creamy mush onto the freshly baked desserts. He then grabbed a bottle of chocolate syrup and drizzled generously on top of the ice cream and cookie. When his masterpiece was deemed complete, he beamed proudly at his creation. He slid the dessert over to Rey, grabbed a spoon and handed it to her. He quickly drizzled chocolate on his skillet then grabbed a spoon of his own.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Rey questioned. He was waiting for some reason.

"No, I want to see your reaction first," he explained. "I'm serious, this is life changing."

For the umpteenth time that day she laughed at him. She shrugged, knowing he wouldn't budge and scooped up a satisfactory amount of cookie and ice cream then took a bite. It was good. _Damn good_. She admitted this to herself. Her cookie, the one thing she wasn't afraid to brag about, was soft and chewy, and the cold ice cream merged well with the warm biscuit. It was a match made in dessert heaven. She looked up at Ben who was waiting expectantly for her feedback.

"It's… not bad," she said plainly. "Pretty good."

"Just good?!" he was initially shocked. Then he saw a tiny smirk spread across her lips. "Oh, you're evil," he narrowed his eyes at her. "Come on, tell me the truth. Say it."

While she couldn't hide her smile, she tried her best not to giggle.

"Say it, Rey," Ben demanded impatiently.

"Okay, okay," she gave in. "This is delicious!"

"Isn't it?!" He said immediately digging into his melting dessert. He happily sighed that his sweet tooth was finally satisfied and proceeded to clean his skillet with his spoon.

Rey thoroughly enjoy this impromptu activity with Ben. It eased her in a way that brought on a bit of confidence she didn't think she'd have when she spoke next.

"Hey Ben?" she asked after taking another bite of her sweet dessert.

"Yeah?" He looked up from his plate, a mouthful of cookie and ice cream on his sticky face.

She couldn't help but smile at his boyish state. She glanced back down at her dessert and played with the chocolate drizzle, smearing it onto the warm cookie.

"Do you want to… maybe… go with me to my gala next weekend?"

She let the words settle between them so he could grasp what she just said. Then she looked up hesitantly. After initial surprise, a chocolatey smile formed on his lips.

"I'd love to go with you."

They both beamed, suddenly very shy with one another, then proceeded to finish their desserts in idyllic silence.

It was only two weeks away and while Rey was feeling stressed about everything that needed to be done, it was now second to her new feeling of euphoria that she was going to attend this magnificent event with someone special. Ben was floored that Rey had asked him to her gala. Granted, he knew she was preparing for this for the past several months, and he helped in getting his parents to agree to go, but he didn't assume that he was going as well. Though the thought of seeing Rey all dressed up in what he could only imagine a stunning ensemble, he desperately wished he could be her plus one. Which was why he - without question - said yes when she finally asked him. Ben was looking forward to a spending a magical weekend with Rey in Catalina.

Not much was spoken about the gala after that except his initial questions – what to bring and wear, and how to get there to start. Sure, Rey gathered the courage to ask him and Ben boldly accepted, but it was Rey and Ben – they made everything difficult. At least this awkwardness was for good reason.

It was the Friday before the event approached and Rey and Ben were sharing some pasta for dinner that night. There was one lingering question that Ben had yet to ask, with Rey knowing what it was and was nervous herself to answer or bring it up either.

"So," he tried to bring it up casually. "What else is going on other than the gala?"

"Presentations for our benefactors and potential sponsors on the first day, then the second day we get unlimited access to everything at the resort," she replied.

"Ah, first work then play. Smart move," Ben chuckled.

"That's how we lure them in," Rey laughed along, albeit nervous.

"Uh…" he mumbled. "If the gala goes through Sunday, where are your guests staying?"

"A-at the resort," she cleared her throat. "Everyone attending is getting a generous deal. It comes as part of the price of their tickets."

"Um… so," he didn't know how to ask the next thing. Nervously, he scratched the nape of his neck, not wanting to make eye contact with her. "Uh… do we get rooms?"

It was her turn to be nervous. As if she weren't already. "Sort of," she answered. "You're technically coming as my plus one, not a separate guest since I'm an employee and we're going for free. So…" she didn't know how to finish that.

Why was it so hard for her to say that they had to share a room together? They've been living together for almost five months. Hell, they slept together in Vegas!

Ben knew this reticence wouldn't end until they changed subjects. So he bit the bullet and just spoke up.

"Hey we share a one-bedroom here. It's all the same, right?" he tried easing their worries.

"Right," she sighed in relief.

_Okay,_ she thought. _Maybe it won't be too awkward after all_.

**_~ii. A Formal Affair~_ **

Saturday morning came and Rey started her day at 6 AM. She informed Ben that the gala dinner was really the main event for the first day (actually the whole weekend), but they had meetings and presentations in the afternoon for some of their larger benefactors. She needed to take the ferry to Catalina with her co-workers and help set up before 10 AM. She informed him when she would check in and will have a keycard for him at the front desk for their room when he was to arrive; that way he could get ready for the gala that evening at the resort. After Ben ran a few last minute errands, he packed up his bag for the weekend and headed to Catalina.

While the gala wasn't a black-tie event, it was still a formal affair. Ben wore an all-black suit with a crisp white shirt and a burgundy silk tie. He made sure to take his outfit to the dry cleaners to get any wrinkles out from sitting in his closet for god knows how long. He arrived at the ballroom a few minutes earlier than Rey had suggested they meet. He was very anxious, fidgeting with the glass of coke in his hand at the bar, debating whether to break their no alcohol rule and down a glass of whiskey to calm his nerves. It didn't resort to that as his worriedness simply melted away when from across the room, his eyes met hers. Rey donned a white strapless dress that hugged her torso tight with a sheer lace layer before the rest of the soft fabric flowed freely down her legs to just above her calves. She was an absolute vision. Out went Ben's anxiety and what replaced it was a positively heart-aching desire for the woman in front of him. She strolled over to him, thanking her makeup for hiding just the faintest of blushing and smiled warmly when he reached in for a hug.

"You look… _wow_ ," He was speechless.

"You're not so bad yourself," she matched his expression.

They lingered for a bit and exchanged bashful cues, unsure of what to say or do next.

"This place is crazy nice," he said, scanning around the immediate area. "You did a great job planning this whole thing."

"It's wasn't just me," she shrugged.

"Rey, come on. It was _all_ you," he bragged for her. He turned to the bar tender to order Rey a ginger ale and another soda for himself.

"Cheers," she said. They clinked glasses and sipped their beverages silently, the _good_ nervousness still clouding around them.

Their silent exchange of smiles and feigning blushes was then interrupted. _Thank god._

"Andor! Nice job this afternoon. The board is very satisfied." Rey's boss spotted her and walked up to the pair.

"Thank you, sir," Rey nodded curtly. Then she turned to Ben, "Sir, this is my husband Ben. Ben, my boss Lando."

"Lando Calrissian, how you doing son?" he heartily shook Ben's hand.

"Ben Solo. I'm well, thanks."

"Wait… Solo? As in Leia Solo? You two related?"

"Yes sir, she's my mother."

Rey and Ben were expecting her boss' next reaction. It was the same one she had when she discovered this information all those months ago in Vegas.

Lando's eye bulged from their sockets. He gawked at Ben, then turned to Rey.

"Wha- Rey, you married Leia Solo's son?! No wonder you wanted to keep it a secret!"

Rey and Ben laughed.

"Well I didn't want to brag," she joked, eliciting a haughty grin from Ben.

"Now don't you go leaving me for Skywalker Enterprises young lady. You're the heart and soul of Cloud City!"

This made Rey a bit shy, she never usually received this much praise for her work. Ben proudly beamed. He wrapped an arm around her waist and squeezed her side lightly, showing her with a wide smile that he was happy to hear what her boss said of her.

Leave it to Snap to interrupt a good moment. When he spotted Lando, he walked up to the trio with his wife in his arm.

"Lando! Rey."

"Hey Snap, Myrra," Lando greeted the newcomers. "How're you doing, Mrs. Wexley?" he asked Snap's wife.

Before she could answer, Snap spoke for her, "The missus actually reached her team's sales goal all by herself this past quarter at work. She got a hefty bonus and an award for it," he arrogantly shared.

"Congratulations," Lando clinked glasses with Snap's wife.

Snap then turned to Rey and her guest.

"Hello," he tried to size up the tall man that was Ben. Though with Ben's profile, no one could look any tougher unless they were a Navy Seal. "Snap Wexley. And you are?"

Ben knew exactly who this guy was. If it weren't for Rey's boss and the slime's wife around, he would've junk punched the man the moment he stepped in view. But he knew better and decided to be polite – well, just a little.

"Ben. I'm Rey's husband." He extended his hand and gave Snap a rather firm shake, producing a muffled wince from him. Ben saw from the corner of his eye Rey's lips curling up briefly because of it.

"Ah, Rey you never mentioned you were married. Didn't know you were seeing anyone, you're always working," Snap tried to rattle her, though nothing could ruin her evening.

"Well I try to keep it professional at work," she answered him politely.

"What line of work are you in, Ben?" Snap was more nosy than interested.

"Nothing right now. But I'm working on getting my pilot's license."

"Ah well, good luck with that," an uninterested Snap replied. He sniggered pompously towards Rey, as if trying to tell her that he was winning in this pretend race in his mind.

Like Rey and pretty much everyone at the office, Lando knew how Snap worked. He wasn't the most liked person at the office, but he was good at his job. That was the only line of respect that Lando had for him. Sizing people up and belittling them, he knew that of Snap as well. Lando was just waiting for Rey to share who Ben really was, knowing Snap would flip. He didn't have to wait any longer though, nor did Rey have to say anything because another pair of guests had found their way to the circle. Their boss was first to recognize the familiar faces and he brightly grinned.

"Leia Solo, what a magnificent surprise!" Lando happily greeted an old friend.

"It's great to see you again, Lando," Leia said gracefully.

"Han you sly dog, it's been a while!" He and Han slapped shoulders and laughed heartily.

"You still owe me from the poker game you lost a few years ago," Han said to him.

"Let's take it up on the fairway tomorrow. See if I can win my money back," Lando said.

"Oh Calrissian… always trying to get out of paying your debt to me. Sure, I'd be glad to take your money and then some," the two old friends bantered.

Immediately, Snap straightened himself and stepped towards the esteemed woman.

"Mrs. Solo, it's an absolute honor," He extended his hand to shake hers. "I'm Snap Wexley. I work for Mr. Calrissian at Cloud City. If I'd have known you were attending, I would've personally requested an audience with you. I didn't even know you confirmed your invitation!"

It took everything in them for Ben and Rey to not let go of the snickers they were presently trying to hold in.

"Actually," Leia proclaimed, "It was more of a personal invite."

Before Snap could ask who invited her, Leia did the best damn thing, in Ben's opinion, that put the man in a state of shock.

She stepped towards Rey with a loving expression.

"Rey dear, you are a thing of beauty," Leia held both of Rey's hands out and revered her before giving the young woman a welcoming embrace.

"H-how do you two know each other?" Snap asked dryly.

"Why she's my daughter-in-law of course!" Leia happily pronounced. Then she turned to Ben. "Hi sweetheart, you're looking ever handsome." She pinched his cheek before kissing the tender spot.

"Hey Mom. Hey Dad," he said before shaking his father's hand.

Han reached for Rey's hand and kissed it. "Hey kiddo," he winked at her.

"Rey," Snap cleared his throat forcefully, "You never said you had… personal connections with Leia Solo."

"Like I said, I try to keep things professional at work and my personal matters at home," she modestly reminded him. "Trying to make an honest living."

If Ben could be any prouder of the woman beside him, why he'd shout to the skies.

"Oh she's wonderful," Leia added. "In fact, I think it's time to let family help you out, dear. Lando, I'll give you a ring on Monday to see how I can help your program this fall."

"Looking forward to it, milady," He bowed to her as if she were royalty. "Rey, since you clearly have good rapport with Leia herself, I think you'd be up for the challenge to take on Skywalker Enterprises as another client."

"She'll do great as always," Leia said proudly.

_Can this night get any better?_ Ben thought. He was loving every moment of this.

Lando finally excused himself, promising to meet up with Han the following morning for a round of golf. Snap followed shortly, reluctantly walking away with his wife, kicking himself for not being able to land Leia Solo as a client of his own.

Once the four were alone, they finally let out a bout of hysterics.

"Mom, that was awesome. Thank you!"

"For what?" Leia feigned confusion.

"Honey, it was so obvious that tool was a work rival for Rey," Han explained.

"Oh," Leia was a bit surprised. "I just knew he was a kiss up. Didn't know he was mean to Rey. I'm sorry you have to work with him dear."

"We all have to deal with one of those people," Rey brushed it off.

"Well you played it amazingly. I mean did you see the look on his face?!" Ben snorted.

"Like he got smacked in the gut with a foul ball!" Han shrieked.

The two men high-fived, continuing to tease the poor sap.

Leia and Rey smiled at the men. Then the older woman turned to her. "I am serious, Rey. I do want to work with you."

"Oh my goodness! Thank you so much," Rey was overjoyed. With a contribution from Skywalker Enterprises, she could only imagine the possibilities they could do to help the youth in the program.

"You guys having a good time?" Ben asked his parents.

"Free drinks, food and a golf course? I'm in heaven," Han sighed happily.

"It's been a while since we've been to Catalina but you two were right, this event has been wonderful," Leia admitted.

Ben and Rey smiled at what Leia had said, staring at each other in delight exchanging silly expressions and soft giggles.

Han briefly studied his son and Rey gawking at each other with goofy grins.

"You two look like newlyweds," he blurted.

"They are, Han! They're still recently married," Leia corrected her husband's remark.

"No, no. Look," he gestured for his wife to stare at them. "They literally look like they just got married or something. Rey in a white dress and Ben in a black suit."

This never occurred to Rey or Ben. One look at what they were wearing from their own perspectives and what Han was saying was almost right. _Cue the blushing faces._

"Oh you're right, honey," Leia cooed. "I sure wish we were there when you two got married," she said. "I bet it was as beautiful as you two are tonight."

"Aaand this is where we go our separate ways," Ben grumbled, not being able to stand one more embarrassing moment with his parents. "Mom. Dad." He hurriedly excused himself and Rey.

He placed a hand on the small of Rey's back, turned and guided her anywhere far from his parents.

"Have a good night," Rey said quickly before Ben whisked her away.

Leia and Han laughed one last time watching the young couple run off.

"They better give us grandkids soon!"

~.~.~.~

The rest of the evening belonged to Rey and Ben, with the two enjoying all the amenities offered at the event. After tasting the mouthwatering food from the buffet – Rey literally tried everything on the menu - Ben in return practically inhaled every plate from the dessert cart, satisfying his sweet tooth. Pleased with their appetites, Ben and Rey sauntered over to the makeshift casino area of the ballroom. The theme for the evening was 'Casino Night' so naturally poker tables and other tabletop games were setup for guests to earn money for door prizes and raffles.

Ben discovered that there were so many things about Rey that he had yet to learn, but he was always impressed each time she shared more about herself. Tonight, he learned she was good at gambling – okay, just Craps. Still, he was impressed.

Poe had taught Rey how to play the game of Craps the first time the four friends went to an Indian casino and resort in San Diego. She told Ben that when they were in college, they'd play Dungeons and Dragons some nights at Finn's dorm room. Poe argued that Rey always rolled the best actions for her character when they played, saying she would have a hot hand in gambling by playing the dice game Craps. He wasn't wrong. Rey wasn't an expert, but she had more than just beginner's luck.

Tonight, her heavy streak continued. She was rolling seven's left and right. Ben was thoroughly enjoying watching her in her element, along with everyone else gathered around the table.

"Here," she turned to Ben and offered him the dice.

"What?" he was confused.

"Toss it," she said.

"Oh no, no, no," Be raised his arms defensively, "I don't want to ruin your streak."

"You won't," she assured him.

"Yes I will. Trust me," he was adamant in accepting her offer.

"I do trust you. That's why I want you to take this next round," she said.

"You don't want to bet on me, Rey," he dolefully sighed.

"Yes, I do," she gently smiled at him.

She took his hand and placed the dice on his palm and gave him a light squeeze. He glanced at her, surprised by her actions. She was looking at him square in the eyes.

"You got this, Ben."

He stared at the dice hesitantly then back at her. _That smile_. It was comforting.

"Alright," he tautly nodded. "So, what do we need, a seven?"

"Mhm. Go on, shoot," she encouraged him.

Nervously, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and tossed the dice across the board.

"Seven!" the dealer shrieked.

Everyone around the table burst into wild applause. Ben raised his arms in victory as he couldn't believe his eyes.

"That was the scariest moment of my life!" he breathed.

Rey cheerfully clapped and turned to him, "Told you," she smirked.

Ben decided he wouldn't get lucky a second time so he asked Rey if they could cash in their chips. She laughed at him but agreed to leave the table.

As they waited in line to exchange their chips for a ticket stub, he turned to her.

"Thanks… for that. I would've never had the guts to do what I just did."

He really would have never had the confidence, but she had faith in him and that was all that mattered.

She smiled, bumping arms with him as they moved closer to the front of the line.

"You're worth it."

* * *

_A/N: If you know what a Pizookie is then you know that stuff is delicious! This coming from a girl who isn't too fond of sweets or chocolate anymore or as much as a girl should be. Just needed to write a disclaimer saying I don't own the original idea to, as Ben would describe, the perfect dessert lol_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Gala Weekend Pt. 2 (A Walk In The Garden; Sleeping Arrangements)
> 
> "When was the last time you were really happy? No worries about anything, just enjoying yourself and living in the moment."
> 
> Rey didn't realize how much she was sharing and how open she had been. She had felt so relaxed, so... happy that evening just talking with Ben.


	20. Gala Weekend Pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So... what did you think of Part 1? Okay, this second half contains Ben and Rey's deepest conversation in the story. Pay attention! Or not, it's up to you lol Enjoy!

* * *

**~XX. Gala Weekend Pt 2~**

_**~i. A Walk In the Garden~** _

As the evening matured the liveliness of the crowd was only getting stronger. After their success with gambling, Rey and Ben mingled with her coworkers and other guests. They spent quite a long time talking to some of Rey's benefactors who congratulated and praised her efforts for this lucrative event. Ben, being the gentleman that he was, stayed by her side and helped her in between discussions by singing praises of his wife as well. While Rey appreciated the recognition, it was taxing to have to converse with so many people throughout the night.

When he came back from the restroom after their last chat with one of her colleagues, Ben found Rey sitting alone at a table happily people-watching as the guests around her were having a good time. Her eyes eventually wandered to his and they both smiled. She was exhausted from all the conversations that evening, but somehow Ben's presence made her feel electric.

"It's getting pretty spirited in here," Ben said when he walked up to her. The DJ showed up about a half hour ago dedicating the rest of the evening to dancing, casino games and an open bar.

"Yep, and it's only just getting started," she chuckled.

As much as he wanted to stick around and have a fun time with Rey, Ben had other ideas. Ones that included just the two of them and no one else.

"Take a walk with me," he offered. He held out his hand for her.

"A walk actually sounds perfect," she said. Rey could really use some fresh air and a break from all the mingling.

She let him help her to stand up but instead of holding on to her like they usually did - they noticed that alright - he let go of her hand. This time he offered his arm.

She felt giddy at his chivalrous gesture and linked her arm around his as he escorted her away from the boisterous affair in the ballroom.

They strolled outside the building towards a garden that wrapped around the golf course. A relaxing silence had blanketed between them, each pleased with their weekend so far. For a moment, Rey rested her head on his shoulder while they were still linked together. The exhaustion was catching up to her, but she wanted to stay awake so she could spend more time with Ben.

They were walking along a cobble path and Rey couldn't help but smile to herself, catching Ben's attention and spreading her infectious grin on his face. She started to giggle, prompting Ben again to mirror her actions and snicker as well.

"What's up?" he wanted to know the reason for her smile.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking," she sighed happily.

"About?"

"It's just," she looked down and played with her dress. "Life's been so busy lately that I haven't had a chance to catch my breath. Right now, I just feel… calm. You know?" she glimpsed at him.

"Yeah I do," he genuinely smiled, agreeing with her.

He let Rey's arm free as she tiptoed along the stone path, twirling lightly and enjoying the freedom outside and away from the noise. Ben couldn't help but smile at her naiveté. Sure, he was the less mature one between the two of them most of the time, but when Rey had her moments, it was innocently adorable. They continued walking in pleasurable silence when Ben decided to break into conversation.

"When was the last time you were really happy? No worries about anything, just enjoying yourself and living in the moment," he asked Rey. "And please don't say Vegas because if you do, I'd have to kick myself for ruining that for you," he half-heartedly joked.

Rey snickered at the last part. She had to think about his question for a minute. When was the last time she was happy? She found a bench nearby and prompted them both to sit. Staring at the night sky for a bit, she found her answer.

"It was probably my first semester break at the university," she began. "I was still very new to America and I wanted to do something adventurous. So, I took a day trip - about an hour and a half north of Santa Monica. There was this lighthouse… It was such a beautiful lone structure that towered over everything around it; the grass, the rocks, the water…"

"That's the photo in the frame," Ben realized.

She turned to him and smiled. Then she went back to her thoughts and the night sky.

"I spent nearly the entire day there, until the last shuttle to go home. I sat along the rocks, just listening to the waves crash, watching the sunset. I was by myself, but I preferred it that way. There was no one to please, nothing to plan. I didn't worry about the next day. I just didn't think, you know? I was happy. Really happy because I felt like myself," She smiled to herself. That memory was so long ago. " _That_ was a great day."

Rey didn't realize how much she was sharing and how open she had been. She had felt so relaxed, so… _happy_ that evening just talking with Ben. She turned to him and an expression on his face that she couldn't say she's seen before stared back at her. She lightly giggled, which snapped him awake and he returned the gesture.

"What is it about you and lighthouses?" he wondered. "I mean they're pretty cool, don't get me wrong. But I'm sure you've got a reason."

"I don't know," Rey fiddled with the polish on her nails. "I guess I just like the meaning behind it all."

"And what's that?"

"See that's the beauty of it," she adjusted her body to turn and speak more intimately to him. "In that book I like, the lighthouse means something different to each person. It represents the thing you want most in life."

"Have you found that yet?" Ben wondered.

"I thought I did," she said softly. "With Hobbie. But I was wrong. I guess that's why I still have the photo… To remind me that my lighthouse is still out there, guiding me with its light, giving me hope."

Ben looked down at his shiny black dress shoes and nervously shuffled his feet. He didn't want to ask the next question, but he also desperately wanted to know the truth.

"Do you miss him?"

A brief silence passed between them.

"Not really, no," she shook her head. She slowly turned her attention back to the stars in the sky. "But sometimes I miss the stability. Even though Hobbie pretty much controlled my life, he promised me a stable future. And that was something in short supply for me growing up."

"Oh." Ben had a somber tone in his speech, Rey could've sworn by it.

"Hobbie wasn't good," she felt like she needed to assure him. "I tried for so long to see past his snobbish upbringing, that maybe there was a decent guy somewhere inside him. But he was as genuine a scumbag as he was inside and out. I just couldn't win with him," Rey confessed.

She had never admitted that to anyone, not even to Rose. But here she was, purging her heart clean of a failed relationship to a man whom she didn't even know where her heart stood.

"It's stupid, I know," she sulked her head in shame. "I'm just that kind of person who always tries to give people chances – whether they deserve it or not."

"You can't get mad at yourself for being a good person. It's what I like most about you," he said openly.

Rey was startled, to say the least, at what he said. She glanced at him, his eyes nervously focusing on his black dress shoes. She briefly smiled to herself, hoping his words meant a bit more than the surface.

"Thanks," she barely whispered.

It was her turn not to look at him as he turned to her and she focused her attention this time to her own feet – her suede nude pumps digging into the gravel beneath her.

"It's a curse sometimes, but I'll admit I like that about myself too," she shared. "Being the one who discovers the beauty behind the mask. That underneath all the bullshit even the toughest guy can have another side, a soft side even. And he chooses to share it with you. Finding the good in someone… that's catnip for sappy tools like me."

Rey sadly chuckled to herself. As much as she wanted a reaction from Ben, she was content with his silence. She had never been so vulnerable around him, and yet she has never been more comfortable.

He stared at her for as long as he was allowed before being caught. Though they were talking about Hobbie, Ben wondered if she had ever thought of him in that light. He thought of himself too and how much he's shared with her these past several months. Could she have found this other side of Ben that even he didn't know existed? What did that mean for them? More importantly, Ben thought, does that mean he was falling for her? Could she be falling for him too?

"Do you miss Baz?"

He looked at her surprisingly. That was surely not the direction he thought their conversation would go. She's met Baz; she was there in the middle of that whole fiasco, literally. Why would she ask him if he missed his crazy ex? But, given the depth of this conversation, maybe Ben really had to think if there were any bits of longing left for Baz in his mind. Especially when moments ago, he was contemplating his own feelings for the woman sitting next to him.

"I miss… being wanted. Feeling wanted," he confessed.

Nothing Ben has ever said or done, not even the poker night incident, had crushed Rey more than what he just said at that moment. It broke her to think he felt that way. That he wasn't wanted.

"I guess that's why I honestly stayed with Baz for so long. Even though she was toxic, she wanted to be with me," he shared. "Albeit for the wrong reasons of course."

They both chuckled at that last part.

"After being in a relationship for five years, it takes some getting used to being on your own again. But it's fine. I'm used to being alone. Sometimes I miss the feeling though…"

He kicked the gravel beneath his feet, feeling ashamed that he was only to blame for five years of unhappiness. Just because he wanted to feel needed.

"You're not alone, Ben."

She gazed at him, hoping he knew she was being genuine. She promised herself at that moment to make sure Ben would never feel neglected. She knew all about being abandoned. She never wanted him to feel that way.

"Neither are you," he stared back at her.

He meant it. Rey probably had many people making empty promises to her growing up, but he hoped she believed him too and that this promise was real.

"What about you?" Rey reverted back to their conversation. Her face was getting warm and she didn't want Ben to see her blush for some reason.

"What about me?" he smiled again. He couldn't help with his smiling that night. He may have looked like a crazy person, but he didn't care because he was with Rey.

"Have you found what you're looking for?"

"I'm not really sure what I'm looking for," he lightly shrugged.

"Hmm…" Rey said, as if she were thinking for him, helping him find an answer.

Ben thought to himself as well. Has he found what he wanted? What exactly did he want? Six months ago he had a girlfriend, a job, and a carefree life. Then he dumped his girl for cheating on him, his father fired him, and he wound up drunk and married on a court order. In retrospect, it looked bad. But the more Ben though about it, wasn't that always how life treated him? He never had anything good come his way.

"I guess I'm not really looking," he shared.

"Everyone's always looking for something," she said to him.

His once bright smile suddenly faltered.

"Not me…" He mumbled as he rested his hands on the bench, trying to keep his emotions in check.

"Why is that?" she tilted her head to the side, wanting to know what was on his mind.

Ben gripped on the wooden planks for a moment, organizing his thoughts. These were thoughts he swore he'd never tell anyone, his deepest feelings. But right now he wanted to tell Rey. For no other reason except he knew she'd understand. When his grip loosened from the seat, he was ready to speak.

"I've been dealt with horrible cards ever since I can remember," he slowly began. "You can only fail so much until you get tired of losing… So, I took myself out of the game. Took the easy way out so as to not get disappointed or not get hurt anymore. Never did the pilot's license thing. Fell into poisonous relationships. Took on a meaningless job, which I got fired from no less. I stopped taking chances on myself..."

Ben let out an exasperated sigh. It was the cold truth.

"If you stop betting, you never have to lose."

He realized that he just admitted aloud that he simply gave up. It was nothing to be proud of, but this was Ben, the real Ben. The lone wolf. It was something he wished he could change about himself. He was about to fall into this dark abyss in his mind, where his deepest darkest fears resided, when he felt a warm touch grace the top of his hand. He glanced at the connection and his eyes followed the arm whom the hand belonged to up until he met face to face with a smiling Rey.

"I'd bet on you, Ben."

The day he met her she had said that to him. A man she barely knew. In fact, she did take a chance. She trusted the stranger in her hotel room to give him a chance not to harm her, and he didn't. And again, that same night she trusted him, a total stranger, to show her a good time. While the nuptials were a wild card, she admitted enjoying her time with him anyway. The third time she bet on him was earlier that evening when she trusted he'd win for her. Again, her risk with him was successful as they came up with lots of winnings. To anyone else, he would think it was a polite sentiment to say. But Rey… she meant it all the time. And each time she was right.

Because of her, lately he was beginning to wonder if he really was worth it.

_**~ii. Sleeping Arrangements~** _

Ben and Rey decided to call it a night and make their way back to their hotel room after their peaceful stroll in the garden and their heart to heart conversation. The night wasn't chilly at all, but it was mild enough for Ben to offer up his suit jacket, to which Rey happily accepted.

"I feel like a midget," she giggled when Ben placed his coat over her shoulders. She slid her arms down the sleeve, her fingers barely reaching the ends of the garment.

"You're already small to me," he jabbed back.

"That's rude!" she feigned hurt. "Because of that, you're not getting this blazer back any time soon!" she stuck her tongue at him.

"I don't mind, it looks good on you," he smirked.

She smiled back and looked away from him. This open forwardness came out of nowhere. One minute they were having a heart to heart, then the next they were flirting between this casual and romantic tête-à-tête.

Rey patted his blazer and smoothed out the creases, getting a whiff of his cologne and natural musky scent on the fabric hugging her body. It was a tantalizing aroma that made her insides feel fuzzy. _Pull yourself together, woman!_

"Well I have to admit, you do clean up pretty well," she said of his attire. _Oh yeah, he looked mighty fine in a suit_ , Rey thought. "I would have never guessed a man-child like you would look so grown up when he's dressed to the nines!" she teased.

"Speak for yourself," he tried hiding his blush. "You're the one who turned lots of heads tonight. What with your goddess like radiance in that dress. You made every guy in the room absolutely _swoon_."

 _Whoa, when did he become so forward?_ Ben wasn't sure where this newfound confidence came from, but he was rolling with it so long as it got Rey to smile. And smile she did.

They made their way back to the resort and waited at the lobby for their elevator to take them to their floor. The event supposedly had come to an end. They didn't realize how long they stayed out until they were piled in a stuffed elevator with several other guests retiring for the evening.

Not thinking any more people could fit inside this small domain, before the doors shut a hand stopped it and revealed four more bodies wanting to squeeze themselves into the elevator shaft. People shuffled around, making room for the newcomers, as they all just wanted to head to their rooms and sleep. As they hobbled to fit, Ben found himself face to face with Rey, the two pressed against each other at a corner in the elevator. She looked up at him, biting her lip nervously at this very close, very intimate position and shyly grinned.

"Hi," he whispered, his cheeks tinting pink. His gaze trailed from her eyes to her lips.

"Hi," she whispered back, the heat from her neck rising to her face.

She could have sworn at that moment he was leaning in. Was he going to kiss her?

The moment was lost when they quickly reached their floor and had to maneuver themselves out of the sardine can. When the door shut and they made it to their floor's lobby, the two of them looked at each other and laughed a bit from being in the ridiculously full elevator cart they were just in.

The door dinged again, and they were surprised to see Rey's boss and his wife step out of the elevator.

"Andor, there you are! You disappeared at the end of the night," he mentioned.

"Sorry sir. That's on me. I just wanted to have some alone time with the missus," Ben winked at Rey.

 _Swoon_.

"Ah well, to be young again," Lando and his wife chuckled. "You two should definitely take advantage of the resort tomorrow. We had a successful event and you deserve to wind down, Rey."

"I will sir. Thank you," she said to her boss.

"I'll see you both in the morning. Ben, give my regards to your parents. Tell your father I can't wait to take his money," Lando joked.

"And he can't wait to take yours," Ben jabbed back.

The two men laughed and heartily shook hands.

"You two have a pleasant evening," Lando's wife said and started towards the hall with her husband.

"You too. Good night, Lando, Mrs. Calrissian," Rey said.

"Goodnight Mr. and Mrs. Solo," Lando smirked as he and his wife walked down the corridor to their hotel room.

_Mr. and Mrs. Solo._

Those words blindsided them. They weren't sure if their muddled thoughts were good or confusing or every emotion they could think of. All they knew was that the words seem to sound good to them at that moment. _Mr. and Mrs. Solo_. They smiled at each other allowing their faces to color before they laughed it off.

They continued to giggle about the most random things as they walked down the hall to their hotel room. Though the moment they stepped inside their shared space, their blissful high had drowned into an anxious buzz.

Sharing a one-bedroom loft apartment was one thing because there was about 1300 square feet of space between them. Sharing a hotel room that was a fraction of the size, situated in a picturesque location, and occurring after enjoying a very pleasant (and sober) evening together – this was uncharted territory for these two.

Rey could have sworn they shared a moment. When she touched his hand to comfort him at the bench. Or even that possible lean in when they were in the elevator. Hell, there were plenty of moments that night. Ben was trying to decipher if their conversations had double meaning and if they may have confessed their feelings. On top of that, he was trying to make sense of what their close proximity in the elevator earlier meant when they were both clearly blushing at each other. Neither Ben nor Rey knew if they should believe themselves that there was something there. Which was why this current situation of sharing a lovely hotel room made them both all the more nervous. The last time they shared a room – well, unintentionally – was the night they apparently consummated their marriage in Vegas. _Oh boy…_

"Nice room," Ben safely commented.

"Yeah it better be by the amount we're paying," Rey kidded. She knew they got it comped because she planned the event. It was the least her company could do for all her hard work.

They walked further into the room and looked around the space. It was a reasonable size, a bit smaller than the master bedroom they had at the loft. There was a pillowtop bed, a sizeable couch, a small vanity and dresser, and a door to the bathroom.

 _Just like at home_ , they both thought. So why was this situation nerve-wracking?

"So… I'll take the couch," he pointed at the plush sofa at the foot of the bed.

"No, Ben. I'd feel terrible."

"It's no problem, really."

"Oh…" she said almost sounding disappointed. "Why don't you take the bed and I'll take the couch this time? That way you get a chance to sleep on a bed for once," Rey suggested.

"Then you'll make me feel terrible for not being a gentleman and offering you the bed," he joked. "Really Rey. You take the bed. This event was all you. You deserve a reward."

"I guess… Thank you," she softly smiled at him.

He plopped onto the sofa and happily sighed.

"I-is it comfortable enough for you?" she asked nervously.

"I've slept in a lot worse," he tried to joke.

"Dammit, now you have to take the bed!" Rey insisted. "You've been sleeping on the couch back at the loft for months. We can switch too when we get back. It's the least I can do."

"Rey, I was kidding!" Ben tried to calm her. "Really, I'm sorry," he chuckled, showing her no seriousness of his earlier remark. "It was just a horrible timing for a joke."

"Are you sure?" she was still feeling awful.

"Positive," he smiled at her.

Ben mentally kicked himself after saying that because he realized that maybe she was trying to offer something. His thoughts were spot on, but he didn't know of course that Rey felt a pang of rejection with his response but hid her reaction from him as well.

"Okay, take as many pillows as you want," she offered. "I want you to be comfortable."

"I'm already comfortable, honest. I mean, I love the couch at home. I chose it myself because it was so plush and I knew I'd be sleeping on a sofa many nights because I watch too much TV," he joked. "But this couch…" he patted the cushions around him. "If I could, I'd take it home with us! They don't give this hotel five stars for nothing!"

She laughed at his remark, finally easing down and accepting their sleeping arrangements for the night. Although if she had it her way, she would have offered them both to share the bed. It was the least she could do since he did accompany her to this event. But this was Rey. She wasn't bold enough to say it. Neither was he.

They proceeded to attend to their bags, taking out the necessary items to change into and get ready for bed.

Ben was sure there was something going on between them. _Come on, Solo._ He said to himself. _Step your game up. Make a move!_

 _This is stupid_ , Rey thought to herself. There was clearly something happening between them tonight, she was sure of it. _Just make a move!_

"Ben?"

He shot his head up, almost snapping his neck at how fast he did so.

"Yeah?"

"Do you mind… helping me with my zipper?" she asked boldly, hoping he'd take the bait.

Rey twisted her body and lifted her hair from her back, suggesting he help her undue her dress.

He gulped dryly and nodded, slowly making his way to stand behind her.

Rey bashfully nodded and turned her head to face forward. Ben stepped closer and placed a hand on the crook of her neck, steadying himself and Rey so he could use his other hand to slowly unzip her dress. He undid the zipper down to right above the small of her back, ogling at the naked skin that was visible in front of him. The last time he had seen her this exposed was the morning they woke up from their late night tryst. How he longed to relive just one night like that with her again.

Things weren't easy for Rey at that moment either. The touch of his hand on her shoulder sent a shiver down her spine. She prayed he didn't notice her shaking. The close proximity that he brought when he lowered his face to her back, more specifically behind her neck, was almost agonizing since she could feel his hot breath on the most sensitive parts of her skin. Desperately she wanted him to make a move, any move, so she could show him how much desire she felt inside for him.

To no avail the moment was lost, and Ben retreated his body a step away from her. She held on to her dress against her chest and turned around slowly. Muttering a quick thank you, she made her way towards the bathroom to kick herself for how foolish she was thinking, proceeding to get ready for bed. When the door to the restroom shut, Ben cursed under his breath for being so much of a coward to not take advantage of that moment and take her. He quickly changed out of his suit into a comfortable pair of boxer-briefs and waited for his turn to brush his teeth and wash off the gel from his hair.

Rey emerged from the refresher to the main room in what was the most sensual outfit Ben had ever seen on her or any woman (though he was only thinking about her). A purple lace cami teased her most intimate areas, baring her smooth milky skin in all its glory for Ben to ogle. He wasn't sure if she was making a move or simply teasing him. Either way she won; he was putty. Rey wasn't having it easy either, what with Ben stripped down to nothing but his boxer-briefs, his bare chest there for her to admire.

When Ben didn't immediately react to her when she stepped back into the room, Rey felt so much remorse, she had wished that she never bought this outfit the day before the trip thinking it would please him. Why she was thinking that impulsively? Who knows with her. Her flushed cheeks exposed her embarrassment as she timidly made her way to pass him so she could properly cover herself under the blankets. They played an awkward shuffling dance trying to step opposite sides of one another but always ended up stepping the same direction, until finally they ended on opposite sides. He nervously chuckled and nodded to her before taking his turn to clean up and get ready for bed.

Rey shook her head at how the evening had started great, only to have a sudden awkward night. In one last effort, she turned to him.

"Goodnight Mr. Solo," she said in the softest, sweetest voice.

If when they heard it earlier had the same effect on him as it did to her, then maybe he'd understand just a little bit of her feelings. It was a start.

He turned and looked back at her, smiling at the sentiment.

Though the evening had turned out better than he could have imagined, he felt that he blundered this moment. Still, he wanted to show her that he cared deeply. And with what he felt earlier outside the elevator was any indication to acknowledge his feelings, he had the perfect response.

"Goodnight Mrs. Solo."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: "Almost" Date
> 
> "Hux! I need your help."
> 
> "Hey Ben. What's going on?"
> 
> "I think I'm on a date right now. With Rey."
> 
> "You 'think'?" Hux laughed. "I mean, I know it's been a while, but you do remember how dates work, right?"


	21. "Almost" Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Out of all the chapters I wrote, this is hands down my absolute FAVORITE. If for the only reason because of the dialogue I added in the middle of the chapter.
> 
> I'm not the best writer. I can't be descriptive to save my life. But I am a dialogue writer/coach by trade. I know how to write natural conversations and cheeky one liners. That's the only thing I'll ever brag about. Plus, I get paid to do it lol
> 
> This is the chapter with my funniest line. Well, maybe not funniest but it is my favorite. If you wanna try to guess what it is, let me know ;)

* * *

**~XXI. "Almost" Date~**

"We can replace the cover and have it dry cleaned for you. But the cushion will need extra time for deep cleaning."

"How long will that take?"

"The best I can do is 3 PM tomorrow."

"No chance it could be sooner than that? I'll pay extra if you can finish it today."

"Sorry, sir. Even if we could it's almost an hour until we close, and we have so many tickets to fulfill already. But I promise you, it'll be ready and good as new by tomorrow."

"Alright. Thank you."

He was handed a slip and Ben walked out of the store.

Earlier that afternoon, Ben had a minor incident when he fortuitously spilled some grape juice on his heather grey couch. He immediately cleaned up the puddle on the floor, though one of the couch cushions had suffered a blow, absorbing a good amount of the staining liquid deep in its fibers. Nothing in his broom closet could save it, so he decided to take the cushion to a professional to get it washed before the end of the day. Unfortunately, the only cleaners that would take his item was in Mid-City, a very busy and very small shop he might add. He didn't arrive there until the late afternoon after checking out several other cleaners nearby who rejected his request for a full cleaning service.

When his soiled cushion was finally accepted and he was handed a return ticket, it was already past 5 PM. He decided that by the time he'd make it back to the loft it'd be pretty late, so he thought to pick up some dinner for him and Rey to take home. As luck would have it, he was walking past a tall green building when a group of people had stepped outside the door on his path and he recognized a familiar face.

"I think if we move the meeting from 8 to 8:30 AM tomorrow then that would give us enough time to plan for the end of quarter update with Lando."

"That works out pretty well, actually," a short woman replied. "Because he's got back-to-backs right after and we'd miss our chance to go over the numbers with him."

"Perfect. It's a plan then."

"That sounds good, boss. I'll update his calendar right away," said another person.

While the three women were in what looked to be a business discussion, Ben instantly lit up when he recognized the person he was just thinking about.

"Rey," Ben greeted a bit too cheerfully.

She turned around to see to who had called her.

"Ben? Hey," she said warmly.

They shared a moment, staring and smiling, ignoring the busy street around them. Not to mention the immediate company.

"Ahem," one of Rey's colleagues cleared her throat.

Rey promptly shook her head as if she were coming out of a spell and gestured to the ladies beside her.

"I'm sorry… Uh, Ben this is Jess and Jannah, we work together. Ladies, this is Ben."

"It's nice to meet you Ben," Jannah said politely, teasingly glaring at Rey.

"Hi there," he shook both of their hands.

"How do you two know each other?" Jess wondered aloud.

"We're…" she glanced at Ben and smirked. He was absolutely beaming at her. "… _roommates_."

Apparently to Jess and Jannah, that had to be an inside joke between them because the two couldn't stop laughing, further amusing Rey's coworkers.

"Roommates, huh?" Jannah stifled a laugh. "Girl, aren't you married now?"

"What, who told you?" Rey was surprised.

Jannah and Jess unfortunately couldn't stay at the resort overnight for the gala portion of their event because they both had to return to LA the same day. Thus, they never met Ben, and Rey never mentioned to anyone besides her boss that she was married. Then again, Lando found out on his own.

"Lando, who else," Jess chimed in. "The man gossips more than anyone in the office."

Rey, Jannah and Jess humorously agreed to that statement.

"Plus… hello? You've been wearing that shiny ring on your finger for months!" Jannah pointed out. "I mean we know you like to be coy but damn girl, when were you going to tell me and Jess already? I thought we were friends," she joked.

"I'm sorry," Rey apologized to the two ladies. "When I'm at the office you know how I go straight to work mode."

"Mhm," Jannah teased.

"Girl, you never mentioned you had a husband _and_ a roommate. Wonder how the guy feels about that," Jess said.

"I think he's ok with it," Ben decided to play along.

Rey looked at him, muffling a snort, hoping he wouldn't embarrass her too much.

"Honey, you are _fine_ ," Jannah said to Ben, to which he blushed. "I don't know of any man that would be OK with his wife living with a handsome guy like you. I sure as hell know my husband wouldn't like it!" she exclaimed.

"You guuuys," Rey said through gritted teeth, flushed in the cheeks and appalled at how this conversation was going.

"I agree with Jan. I mean by the looks of Rey's ring, he's probably not the type to share," Jess said. "Man's got good taste!"

Rey glanced at Ben and snickered. Ever since their Fourth of July weekend, and the whirlwind of a weekend in Catalina, the two had become more comfortable with each other than ever before, clowning around over the silliest things. She was glad that Ben accompanied her to the gala. She wouldn't have had nearly as much fun as she did without him.

"Ben," she tried to be serious but couldn't sound stern enough. "Come on," she giggled.

She couldn't contain the silence anymore. She pleaded him to just reveal the truth. He haughtily laughed at her and nodded, giving in to her request.

"First of all, thank you. I feel like I have some good taste too. And second, you're right. I don't like to share," he winked at Jannah.

Suddenly it dawned on them that Ben was both men. The two women grew bug-eyed and squealed.

"Oh my gawwwd, Rey you married this cutie?! _Girrrl_!" Jannah playfully slapped her arm. "You had us going for a minute there with the 'roommates' thing! Is that what they call it nowadays?"

"Sorry, Ben likes to goof around," Rey chuckled.

"Guilty," he laughed along with the ladies.

"Ben, you are such a match for our fearless leader. She needs a fun guy like you," Jess playfully nudged his arm.

"Mhm," Jannah agreed. "But then again, Rey's so secretive she's probably got a wild side that we don't know of. Huh, Ben?" Jannah asked him friskily.

"Well-" he started but she quickly shielded her hand over his mouth to stop him.

Jess and Jannah laughed at her actions, while Ben smirked behind his covered face, chuckling at Rey's flushed cheeks.

"Alright well we need to leave before all three of you embarrass me any more. Goodnight ladies," she waved her friends off and dropped her hand from his mouth, pulling him towards another direction.

"Yeah, I'd shoo people away too if my husband looked like that," Jannah said not as discreetly to Jess.

"Have a good night you two," Jess winked at the couple, eliciting a roll of the eyes from Rey and a hearty laugh from Jannah and Ben.

When the two women disappeared in the opposite direction, Rey stopped in her tracks, turned to Ben and smacked his shoulder.

"Hey, ow!" he feigned hurt. As if Rey could actually hurt him. Although the first time they met she did intimate him for a second when she almost impaled him with a stick.

"You do know that they're going to gossip all morning about this, right?" she informed him.

"I'm flattered," he said smugly.

"I'm not usually one to talk about my personal life at work," she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Still flattered," he puffed his chest before she playfully slapped it.

"What are you doing here?" she curiously asked. "How'd you know where my office was anyway?"

"Honestly, I didn't know this was your office," he explained. "I was walking down this street and I just happened to run into you."

"What are you doing in Mid-City?"

"I had to stop by the cleaners… There was a grape juice incident."

She raised an inquisitive brow at him, though her snicker tossed away any seriousness in her demeanor.

"I spilled some on the couch cushion and I had to take it in to get cleaned," he admitted.

"Of course you did," she rolled her eyes.

"It took all day, but they're not done with it yet, so I got to pick it up tomorrow. It was just a couple blocks from here. Was going to text you and see if you wanted me to grab some food on the way home."

"Well we're out now, let's just grab a bite and head back after," she suggested.

"Sounds good," he smiled. "I know a great Mexican restaurant. It's just down the block."

"Perfect," she smiled back.

They arrived at a lively bar decorated in Spanish history. Just one whiff of the amazing smell from the kitchen, Rey was already praising Ben for choosing a great place for dinner. They were seated in the patio, where the live music played. Ben suggested some of the dishes he's had before and Rey chose a few that he liked, along with a new entrée for both of them to try. That was another new thing that had happened since earlier in July. They continued to share meals together, and by sharing, they ate off each other's plates. Personal boundaries... what personal boundaries?

This restaurant was as authentic as it got in the west end, with merchants walking table to table offering small trinkets to sell. An elderly woman walked up to their table shortly after they placed their orders.

"Flowers for your lady?" she asked Ben.

"Oh, um-"

"Yes, I'll take a red one please," Ben chimed in.

"Ben, you don't have to," Rey blushed.

"I want to," he said. "Besides, can't a guy - who apparently has impeccable taste I might add - take his wife out and buy her flowers?" he winked. He was still in the jokey mood from their earlier antics.

The older lady gurgled at his remark and exchanged a long-stemmed red rose for his cash. "You've got a keeper," she said to Rey and walked off.

The remark made them both flush. At least Rey was able to hide her face while sniffing her beautiful flower.

Suddenly it grew awkward between them. Another semi-new thing. This was a good awkward though.

After their weekend in Catalina, their dynamic had progressed significantly. They fell into a much closer comfortable routine – sharing meals and eating off each other's plates, sitting together almost every chance they got, and many nights Rey falling asleep next to him on the couch only to have Ben carrying her to the room. Sometimes they'd both end up napping together on the couch in the daytime too. Rey's tutoring with Ben always consisted of them laughing over something unrelated to his work, losing concentration most of the time thus requiring more time to study together. Neither of course minded. Since Rey was done with her gala planning, she didn't have any work to bring home for overtime. Meaning she spent more time at home with Ben. Just like earlier, they started joking around with one another more openly – an outsider would say they were almost flirting all the time.

Of course, none of their friends knew of their new level of comfort, and neither Ben nor Rey knew what it meant either. Maybe they did, but they were sure as hell avoiding their feelings. Which was why sometimes they'd have awkward moments between them. The logical reason would obviously be that they were thinking about their feelings for one another. Nevertheless, that moment would pass and they'd fall back to oblivion, laughing and smiling and enjoying one another's company. Almost like an actual _married couple_.

Only this time, this awkward air seemed to linger. They couldn't even make eye contact, which they had been doing more of lately with ease. Rey was staring at her long stem red rose, contemplating if it meant anything to him when he bought it. Surely he would know the basic meaning behind buying a woman a rose, right? Let alone a long stemmed red rose! Ben on the other hand was stumbling to make any kind of next move. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to, but he felt the need to want to make a move. If only he could. _Oi, they were hopeless._

"I'm going to go wash my hands really quick, alright?" she said.

"Yeah, sure," he nodded.

When she walked off he sighed in relief, then immediately went back to panic mode. He dug into his jeans and pulled out his cell phone dialing for assistance.

" _Hellooo."_

" _Hux! I need your help."_

" _Hey Ben. What's going on?"_

" _I think I'm on a date right now. With Rey."_

" _You 'think'?" Hux laughed. "I mean, I knows it's been a while, but you_ _ **do**_ _remember how dates work, right?"_

" _Ugh you're not helping. Where's Phas?!"_

" _Hang on, I'll put you on speaker… Babe, Ben needs us. He 'thinks' he's on a date right now," he heard his best friend snicker._

" _What do you mean 'think'?" Phasma's voice chimed in. "Ben what's he talking about?"_

" _Long story short. Ran into Rey when she got off work and we're having dinner at a Mexican restaurant right now."_

" _Sounds like a date to me," Phasma said._

" _I wasn't even thinking about it being one until just now. The whole evening's been so casual."_

" _Then why are you freaking out all of a sudden?" Hux asked._

" _Well… I kind of bought her flowers."_

" _Aww," Phasma cooed. "Oh yeah, this is totally a date."_

" _Well then help me please! She's in the restroom and can come back any second."_

" _I don't know what's so difficult, man. You're on a date with Rey. Don't you like her?" Hux asked him._

" _Yeah, that's why I need help."_

" _Ah so you_ _ **do**_ _like her?" Phasma pointed out._

" _Finally, he admits it!" Hux shouted._

" _One problem at a time, you guys!" Ben grumbled. "What do I do?!"_

" _Enjoy your date, duh," his friends laughed._

" _What if she wants me to kiss her? I don't know, what happens at the end of the night?"_

" _Well, you see Ben, when two people are attracted to one other, they share a special 'hug' that grownups do and-"_

" _Not funny Hux!"_

_His friend cackled in the background._

" _Sorry, but what's the problem man, seriously?"_

" _You guys know it's complicated with me and Rey. If this is in fact a date, how do I do this? I don't want to mess it up."_

" _Ben, there's no real protocol on two people who go on a first date after they get married. Really there's no wrong thing you can do. If you feel like kissing her then go for it. I mean, you've already slept together," Phasma explained._

" _I know but I don't know how I'm supposed to act," he sighed._

" _What do you mean? Just act normal," Phasma said._

" _What if that's not enough?"_

_Laughter aside, his friends understood what was at stake._

" _Look, Ben. If you really care about her, which you obviously do, then just be yourself. That's more than enough."_

" _Yeah. You got this, buddy."_

~.~.~.~

Rey frantically made her way to the ladies' room and parked it in front of the sink, splashing cool water on her burning cheeks.

Are she and Ben on a date?! What did the rose mean?! More importantly, did he have feelings for her?! With all these thoughts racing in her head, she was starting to get overwhelmed. She fished out her cell phone from her purse to seek help. She was about ready to dial Rose's number when she remembered her friend mentioning that she was helping Poe with a computer problem for his bar's point of sales system, so she couldn't bother either of them. Finn was usually at the gym around this time, but he was her only lifeline, so she tried calling him anyway.

" _Hey Peanut! What's up?"_

" _Finn, thank goodness you picked up!"_

" _Whoa what's wrong? You sound panicked."_

" _I don't know what to do," she heaved._

" _Okay you're freaking me out. Where are you? I'm at the gym but I'll head out."_

" _No, no. I'm fine. I think. Augh. I'm just confused."_

" _Okay? You got to give me some more details, Peanut."_

" _I think I'm on a date with Ben right now."_

" _Rey, how do you not know if you're on a date with someone?" Finn chuckled. "Has it really been that long since Hobbie took you out?"_

" _Fiiiinnn!"_

" _Okay, okay. Well, that's good right? You two hanging out."_

" _I guess so. But that's just hanging out. This is different. This feels…"_

" _Weird?"_

" _No…"_

" _Good?"_

" _I don't know..."_

" _Well what is it? Do you not want to be on a date with him?"_

" _It's complicated, you know that."_

" _Peanut, it couldn't be any clearer. You two like each other. Why can't you just admit that?"_

" _We're comfortable with each other, that doesn't necessarily mean 'like'," she pointed._

" _Rey come on, it's me. I'm your best friend. You can tell me anything. I won't judge."_

_Rey heavily sighed._

" _I guess deep down I do want this to be a date…"_

" _See, that wasn't so hard to admit, was it?" Finn said. "About damn time too," he chuckled._

" _I just don't want to get hurt, Finn."_

" _What makes you think he's going to hurt you? Ben's not Hobbie. He cares about you. If he didn't, he'd have made it a living hell for you from the start."_

" _He's just being nice."_

" _Aren't you the one who always wants to find the good in people? What makes Ben so different?"_

_She paused for a moment, deciding how to put her deepest thought into words._

" _I'm afraid to let myself feel something because this time between us has an expiration date. Everyone keeps teasing us but no one else remembers that this is all finite. Even if on the slightest chance we reciprocate these feelings, I'm scared to find out if we were only fabricating emotions because of the situation and once it's all over we'll lose interest in one another… And pretty soon we'll be done with all this."_

" _That's only if you want it to be done."_

" _I don't know what I want, Finn... I don't even know what Ben wants."_

" _Then maybe you should go out there and find out, Peanut."_

~.~.~.~

After Ben ended his call, Rey returned shortly after. Thankfully they didn't need to jump into conversation right away as their meals arrived around the same time. They fell into a comfortable ease, sharing their food and talking like they had been the past few weeks. The awkward air had disappeared – as expected – and they enjoyed their time together, date or not. All the while, Rey had been thinking about what Finn said. That if she wanted to know what her future would be after all this she'd have to talk to Ben. Though in moments like these, she chose to let herself be unwittingly happy, even though it had an expiration date.

The evening continued to develop when they stopped by a food truck just outside of the restaurant to purchase deep fried desserts. They were laughing and joking about how unhealthy Ben ate and the massive amount of food Rey consumed. At one point in the night, Ben grabbed her messenger bag and held it for her, knowing she'd had a long day and the least he could do was shed some weight off her shoulders. By this time, they had been walking all around downtown that they opted to forgo calling an Uber and walk the rest of the way to their loft together. Coincidentally, it was an unusually breezy summer night, so Ben - being the gentleman he was - shed his button up flannel shirt to offer Rey a tiny bit of warmth, while he sported his black undershirt the rest of the way home. Boldly, Rey decided to wrap herself around one of his arms, to 'keep him warm' while they continued their walk home. It surprised Ben as much as it surprised her that she did such a thing, though neither of them complained of course and they enjoyed this even newer territory of shared personal space. They could totally get used to this.

If wondering if their dinner was in fact a date was a struggle, their biggest challenge welcomed them when they arrived back at the loft.

They stood in front of the couch, eyeing said problem.

"You said the cushion won't be ready until tomorrow?" Rey asked.

"It was the best they could do," Ben answered.

Another beat had past, them both still gaping at the empty space on the couch.

"Well… I could take the couch tonight and you could take the bed."

"What, no way Rey. That's not going to be comfortable at all!"

"Sure it will, I'm small. I can fit."

"I've been sleeping on this couch for five months; while it's actually pretty cozy, you won't get comfy on half the sofa. And if you don't want me to be uncomfortable I sure as hell don't want you to suffer. Take the bed. I'll manage."

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"I've got a sleeping bag in storage somewhere. I'll take the floor."

"No, Ben. I'd feel terrible."

"It's all good. I've gone camping with my dad and uncle so many times."

" _Ben_ ," she was insistent.

" _Rey_ ," he playfully mimicked her. "It's okay. It's my fault anyway since I spilled the juice," he laughed.

He was about to head to the storage closet when she spoke softly.

"Or… we can both sleep on the bed?"

He stopped in his tracks _. Did he hear that right?_ Ben turned around to face her. Rey was wearing an expression that wasn't suggestive. She almost seemed anxious… but in a good way.

Suddenly, the nervous cloud returned.

"O-okay," he nodded.

He followed her into the bedroom without another word. To start, they simply stepped into their normal routine before bed. One more new thing - they started brushing their teeth together some time after the Catalina weekend. Tonight, it consisted of stolen glances and awkward chuckles. Rey changed in the bathroom while Ben undressed in the room to a pair of basketball shorts and a sleeveless tank. When she emerged in her night shirt, they stood opposite sides of the bed, staring at the mattress between them.

_This is silly,_ Rey thought. She only suggested they share a bed. She wasn't asking to have sex! _Why were they being weird about it?_

_Okay Ben be cool,_ Ben thought. _Date or no date, you still need to be a gentleman. Damn, does she have to show her bare legs right now?! Gawwwd._

Hoping neither had heard each other's thoughts, they broke the silence with slight chuckles and light shrugs. They were thinking too much of it. It was perfectly normal, this situation. They'd napped on the couch together before. This was just like it.

With that, they crawled into their respective sides and settled into comfortable positions, each facing separate walls. Their 'almost' date, while incited new emotions they each had to figure out separately, was simply perfect. They didn't want to ruin it by deciphering the current situation. That would be saved for another day. Tonight, they'd sleep peacefully. On the same bed. As roommates. As husband and wife.

Rey slept comfortably that night, despite her initial qualms with their sleeping arrangements. Nothing came of it though. _Not much of a surprise there._ They said their goodnight's and one by one fell into a deep slumber. She awoke with a renewed energy, ready to start her day on a good note. Probably because the stress of the night before went away after a good night's sleep. Or probably because the evening had been a nice one with Ben and she had appreciated it, whatever it was.

Or maybe her day was deemed as good already with it being only 7 AM. Because when she flickered her eyes open, she had found herself nestled into Ben's chest, with his arm wrapped protectively around her waist, sleeping blissfully, with a faint smile on his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Hard Work Pays Off
> 
> "What are you going to do when you get your license?"
> 
> "I definitely want to fly somewhere new. Do something fun before I look for work."
> 
> "If I were you, I'd just travel everywhere. It'd be amazing to just travel the world."
> 
> "Then let's do it, Rey. When I get my pilot's license, let's travel the world."


	22. Hard Work Pays Off

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Let's be real. Gone are the days of tiny crushes and coy behavior. Ben and Rey know there's something there.
> 
> So from this point forward, their thoughts and interactions will evolve to more mature, more... blunt feelings. It's not longer "I have a school girl/boy crush on you." It's straight up "I WANT YOU." Enjoy!

* * *

**~XXII. Hard Work Pays Off~**

"How about best two out of three? Loser does the dishes," Ben offered.

"You really are trying every possible way to get out of doing the dishes, aren't you?" Rey was tickled by Ben's aversion over a simple task.

"It's possibly the most boring chore I ever had growing up," he groaned in disdain.

"Are you kidding? You're standing in one place and playing with water. Sure, you have to clean stuff, but it's the laziest and easiest chore in my opinion," she retorted.

"Hey if you like it so much, I won't stand in your way," he joked.

"Again, you aren't going to get off that easy," she poked back.

"Well then I'll take my chances." He held his arms out for the challenge.

She impishly rolled her eyes at his childish gesture.

"Seriously?" she stifled a laugh.

"I never joke when it comes to this," he tried to say sternly but the situation wasn't helping.

Rey finally let out that laugh and gave in.

"Fine, but none of this two out of three stuff. Sudden death. Loser does the dishes."

"You're on!"

She got up from her seat and walked over to him.

"You ready to lose, Andor?" he tried to psyche her up.

"Just don't cry like a baby when _you_ lose, Solo," she goaded back.

She set herself up in the same position. They glared at one another.

"ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS…"

"Oh yeah! Rock beats scissors, I win, you lose!"

Ben danced happily in taunting circles around Rey. She let out a garish laugh as she was entertained by his juvenile behavior.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're such a sore winner?" she teased him.

"Has anyone ever told you that you suck at rock, paper, scissors?" he jabbed back.

"Fine I'll do the dishes, but you owe me one," she narrowed her eyes at him facetiously. She friskily shoved him and started to gather their plates.

"Alright, how about you choose what we get to eat for dessert, deal?" he suggested as a compromise.

"Ohhh deal!" she happily agreed.

Ben helped Rey take their cups and utensils to the sink before mockingly wishing her to 'have fun' doing this tedious chore that she loved oh so much. After being splashed by Rey before she got started, he scurried away from her reach before his shirt got any more soaked.

Ever since the night they shared the bed, Ben and Rey had transformed their 'relationship' into something more, emotionally and physically. Of course, they chose not to label it though. The dirtied couch cushion was ready to be picked up the next day as promised, but Ben never resumed sleeping on it. They had agreed to share the bed, seeing as there was no harm in the communal activity. Rey never mentioned to Ben that she had awoken in that intimate position with him that first morning. She was too nervous to acknowledge it aloud. Though to be fair, Ben had his own secret moment of intimacy with her as well. A couple of nights after that first one, he awoke wanting to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. He was surprised to find that Rey had swung her leg over his legs, curled up to his side and was resting her hand subconsciously on his chest. Though he knew she was fast asleep, he couldn't help but wonder if this intimacy could one day be a normal thing for them.

Actually, those late night conducts went on almost every night. Whoever woke up first usually found them both in compromising positions, but they would never mention it to each other when they were both awake. Whether it be they liked it and neither protested, or they were anxious to bring it up so they just let it be, Ben and Rey couldn't deny that they enjoyed the intimacy, nevertheless. It was almost as if they were expecting it each night. _Who knows with these two!_

While their subliminal nighttime intimacy brought them even closer, they still hadn't outright admitted a thing to one another about their own feelings. There were certainly feelings there that they couldn't deny anymore; they each came to this realization on their own when they spoke with their friends on the phone on their 'almost' date night. The days were getting shorter as their court date was only weeks away. Could they admit their feelings before that or keep this temporary bliss for a little longer because they didn't want to fear rejection and face their inevitable split? The clock was ticking.

Ben sat at the computer desk, opening his pilot's exam handbook and quickly started prepping for a study session with Rey once she was done with the dishes. He and Rey had been studying nonstop for the practice exam that he took a week prior. He had been taking his time to study the material, but she felt that he was ready to do the real thing. While he took free practice tests online, Rey encouraged him to take an official practice exam to test his environment out and better prepare himself for the real thing (which was in less than a month). She was right to suggest it as he was a bit nervous the morning when he took the practice exam, but later eased into a groove and was pretty confident he did well afterward. Practice exam aside, he knew they still had a lot of work to do for the real thing.

He was starting up his internet browser when he got a ping from his email client on the bottom of the screen.

' _Private Pilot's License Practice Exam Results'_

Ben's heart raced when he read the subject of the email. He wasn't expecting the results of his practice test for a few more days, nor was he expecting to be this nervous about it. Okay, maybe a little. It was only a practice exam for crying out loud! But the thought of rejection once again was lingering in the back of his mind.

_It's now or never_ , he thought.

Anxiously, he clicked on the notification and was taken to a new tab to view his results.

Rey was lightly humming random tunes as she wiped the last dish dry from their dinner and neatly put it away. She thought of what they could have for dessert since she was able to bargain with Ben to get to choose their sweet treat after duping her into doing the dishes. She was craving ice cream, and for once the usually stocked freezer was out because Ben had eaten the entire tub for lunch earlier that week. _Maybe I can convince him to run to the store to grab another tub,_ she thought. She was about to voice her request and turn to him when suddenly a strong grip on her sides had caught her off guard. Ben appeared behind her and lifted her up off the ground, trapping her in a huge bear hug and swinging her body friskily from side to side.

"Ben, what's going on?" she couldn't help the giggles.

He pulled her away from the sink to an open area in the living room and twirled her around some more.

"I passed my practice exam!" he screamed with delight.

"Oh my gosh!" Rey exclaimed. He put her down and she quickly twisted around to properly congratulate him, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "Congratulations Ben! I knew you could do it!"

Ben answered her hug by lifting her up once more and spinning with her around the room, just like their disc golf celebration during the Fourth of July weekend. "I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you, Rey!"

She laughed even harder as his embrace got tighter and the spinning made her giddy.

"Ben, put me down, this tickles!" she cried between hysterics.

This only made him hold her longer and make her laugh even harder.

"What? I can't hear you! I'm celebrating!" he cheered.

She begged him again after giggling so hard that she was hacking her lungs to try to get more oxygen in her. He eventually gave in, laughing with her as he finally brought her back down to the ground.

Ben placed Rey back on the ground for the second time and she let go of her embrace around his neck, though he seemed to not let go of his grip on her waist. With an adrenaline high, everything happened so fast. It was so spur of the moment. She looked at him wondering why he was still holding her, and he was beaming so brightly with glassy eyes staring back at her.

Then he did something impulsive – he kissed her.

It was a peck really. Maybe a second or two long. But he did it and she felt it.

Immediately, he realized what he had done and promptly let go of her, standing awkwardly in place. Rey was just as shocked and speechless, yet she was screaming inside. She stole a glance from him and lightly giggled, letting her blush flow freely on her hot skin. He scratched the back of his neck and chuckled nervously, trying to hide the rose tinted cheeks already darkening on his face.

"Um, sorry," he sheepishly smiled.

"No," she couldn't help but smile as well. "It's okay. I liked it."

"Oh. Good." He couldn't help but grin even wider by her response. "Me too."

They glanced at each other again, this time holding their gazes and openly blushing as they matched the upward curls on their lips.

"Hey, why don't we celebrate?" she boldly asked, relieving the tension between them. "You worked so hard for it you deserve it."

"Sure," he grinned. "How about Sloan's? I finished all the ice cream in the freezer," he chuckled.

"It's like you read my mind," she smiled back.

Thankfully, there was a Sloan's ice cream parlor that they could walk to just down the block from their building, so the commute over there wasn't too long, as they were still in a state of awkward (and shocked) silence. When they arrived at the ice cream shop, they shared a large banana split ice cream sundae topped with a mixture of their favorite toppings. They took turns scooping spoon fills of the sweet treat into their mouths, stealing quick glances and bashful expressions. While they were acting so shy on the surface, below the table was an entire story in and of itself. They were playing footsies with each other, with Ben brushing his calves on Rey's knees, and Rey caressing her toes on Ben's shins. What this meant to them, who knows. They were just enjoying the moment.

A worker was wiping down the tables near them and happened to pass by, noticing their goofy smiles.

"Evenin' folks," he said. "You two celebrating something tonight?"

Rey scooped a bit of their shared dessert onto her spoon before responding. "Yes, we are. He passed an important test for his pilot's license," she said proudly.

"Is that so?" the employee happily asked.

Rey nodded and took a bite of her ice cream, winking at Ben, prompting him to blush.

"Congratulations," the worker greeted Ben.

"Thanks," he nodded at the man. "I couldn't have done it without her, though. She helped me study the whole way," he gestured to Rey.

The worker glanced at Rey, noticed her coy expression and chuckled.

"This you husband, miss?" he asked her.

Even five and a half months into this whole thing, they were still surprised when people asked about their legal status out of the blue. That's not to say they didn't like it. Of course, this person only deduced this because he had gestured at Rey's ring finger and motioned to Ben, the possible person who gifted her with the shiny jewelry.

"Yes, he is," she pleasantly smiled at her 'husband'.

Then the employee turned to him.

"You're a lucky man, son. Beautiful and smart wife."

"Thanks." He really needed to stop blushing. "She's definitely better at both of those than me."

It was Rey's turn to blush again.

"Ah young love," the man crooned, making Ben and Rey feel even more giddy about the situation. "Congratulations again! Have a nice evening you two."

When the worker left them alone, Ben and Rey glanced at one another and smiled.

Ben was starting to get used to the title of being Rey's husband. In fact, he craved when people asked about it. Rey still flushed when people discovered she was married, but deep down, she couldn't hide the giddy feeling she'd get when someone mentioned her title as Ben's wife. If only they were more open about this stuff with each other, right?

"I'm really proud of you," Rey said to him.

"Honestly, I couldn't have done it without you," he shared the credit.

"Nope," she shook her head. "This was all you, Ben," she smiled at him.

"Thanks," he beamed proudly.

"Just think, you're one step closer to achieving your goals," she reminded him. "What are you going to do when you get your license?"

"Probably find a job," he chuckled. He reached over to scoop some more ice cream onto his spoon.

"Oh you know you what I mean," Rey playfully nagged, stealing the sprinkles from his scoop of ice cream.

They childishly fought for that scoop of ice cream for a little bit (Ben won, of course) before he responded.

"I don't know, I never got to planning anything. I definitely want to fly somewhere new though. Do something fun before I look for work maybe," he said to her.

"You should fly to all the major league baseball stadiums around the country," she suggested. "Your dad mentioned to me that you two once went on a road trip to a couple places in the Midwest when you were younger."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Ben nodded at that thought. "I've never flown anywhere outside of Los Angeles behind the pilot's seat yet. So that'd be a new experience."

"Same," she said. "Well, not 'same' same, since I can't fly," she giggled.

He laughed along with her, understanding what she meant.

"But you know like I've only been to Los Angeles. Other than coming here for school, I lived in London my whole childhood. I know that place inside and out."

"Yeah, especially all the best pastry shops and pubs in town," Ben winked, reminding her of one of their very first conversations. "I'm sure you know the food inside and out too," he teased.

Rey was impressed. He really did listen to her.

"Oh really? You're interested in trying something other than pizza?" she poked fun at him.

"Of course," he said. "I'd love to figure out why you guys call them 'chips'."

"Is that so?" she asked amusingly.

"Yeah, and then explain why it's wrong," he smirked. "They're not thin potatoes strips. They're fries!"

"Aren't chips fried too?" she retorted.

"But they're not chips! Even tots sound better than chips," he teased.

"Yeah well I'd love to figure out why you guys call them french fries. Were they invented in France? Hmm?" she jabbed back.

"Who knows, I just love 'em!" he chuckled.

"Well if you can manage to look past the name 'chips', I actually know a great pub with the best fish 'n chips in town," she giggled.

"Of course you do," he playfully rolled his eyes.

"Mock me now, but if you're ever in London wanting to know where to find a late night bakery to curb your sweet tooth, don't say I didn't offer," she stuck her tongue at him.

"Oh I'm not mocking," he chuckled. "It's just if one goes all the way to London, you'd expect to at least check out Big Ben or something."

"Meh, it's just a clock," Rey joked.

"Oh and you didn't try to hike up to the Hollywood Sign when you first got to Los Angeles?" he teased.

"Fair point," she tried to be serious, but instead laughed.

Indeed, when she first met Rose and Finn, they hiked with her one weekend to the infamous white letters.

"I rest my case," he smugly grinned. Ben rewarded himself with an extra large scoop of ice cream.

"If I were you, I'd just travel everywhere. Alaska, Brazil, Australia, Greece," she daydreamed. "It'd be amazing to just travel the world."

He couldn't help but smile at her, those wishful thoughts comforting him as well.

"Then let's do it, Rey," he said to her.

She looked at him quizzically.

"When I get my pilot's license, let's travel the world," he stated.

"I'm going to hold you to that, so this better not be a joke," she playfully glared at him.

"I pinky promise," he held out his hand with his pinky in the air.

"You pinky promise?" she snickered. "Really?"

"Hell yeah. Trust me. Pinky promises are a huge deal here in America," he smirked.

"I'll never understand your whimsy," she giggled.

"Right, like 'chips' is any better," he teased. "Or 'wanker', as Poe said one time!"

"I swear, you tell Poe one thing and he just ruins it," she laughed along with him.

"So, what do you say?" he smiled at her, pinky still in the air waiting for her to accept his sincere offer.

"Alrighty then," she sing-songed and they locked fingers. "Pinky promise."

They giggled at their gesture and finished their dessert in silence, but this time, a more comfortable silence – that was certainly a thing.

When they tossed their trash and stepped outside, a lingering moment was spent between them.

"You've got a chocolate speck on your cheek," Rey noticed on Ben's face.

"Huh, where?"

Ben tried stretching his tongue over his cheek to cover said spot, erratically bobbing his head around to which Rey had no choice but to laugh at his ridiculous actions.

"Did I get it?" he said sloppily, still blindly trying to find the spot with his tongue.

"Oh my god, stop."

She laughed at his poor attempts and reached over with her own hand to wipe off his chocolate stain.

"See how easy that was?" she teased him when she was done, showing him the chocolate speck on her finger.

He laughed at the comment.

"What's the fun in that if it's not a challenge?" he joked.

"You're impossible sometimes," she rolled her eyes at him.

Without thinking, she brought the thumb she used to wipe the bit from his cheek to her mouth and sucked off the chocolate on her finger. If she wasn't thinking about it then, she was definitely thinking about it now. That small action indeed surprised them both as Ben's jaw slightly fell and Rey's eye bulged in their sockets. She couldn't hide the crimson blush on her face even if she tried. She slowly brought her hand down and tried to look away from him to cool off from the unintentional risqué act she just displayed.

Rey couldn't deny that she was thoroughly enjoying Ben's physical presence. While her heart was still trying to figure out how to voice her mixed emotions for him, her gut freely told her that Ben was sexy with a capital _damn_. Thank the seasons it was summer because now he worked out with either a white cotton beater or no shirt at all, and Rey did not mind one bit. Ben even started sleeping in just his boxer-briefs, it's like he was teasing her without even knowing. With their physical closeness in the loft, sitting on the couch and even sleeping on their bed, she'd stolen chances to feel his firm muscles and she was getting overwhelmed with his six feet two of demi-godness. It was really hard for her to think and act clearly in moments like these because she didn't intend to be forward with her actions. But in the back of her mind she had hoped it stirred something in him as it did for her. Everything he did these days stirred something in her.

As of late, Ben had found himself getting more and more attracted to Rey, emotionally and especially physically. Granted, he has always found her attractive. The moment they met he was drawn to her hazel eyes and soft smile. But these days, especially with their extreme level of comfort at the loft, he couldn't get enough of seeing her body – her long legs showed off when she wore shorts and summer dresses (thank you, summer), her cotton nightshirts (which by the way he had fantasized her wearing one of his shirts many, many nights) that always exposed a shoulder which made her so alluring, and hell even the little things like licking or biting her lips when she was thinking or blushing lightly when she was nervous. This woman was driving him over the edge.

Which was why he really wanted to kiss her again at that moment, and he could tell she wanted him to kiss her too. What with her sexy lip biting when she glanced at him in a sensual way just now. When he met her gaze and smiled, her demeanor had flipped as she bashfully grinned and turned away, her cheeks tinting red again. _Gawd Dayum_ … When she did things like that, it drove him insane. Ben loved the way Rey could be so wanton and alluring one minute, then coy and demure the next. She was an enigma, and he was lost in her trance.

"Erm," she cleared her throat. "Shall we head back now?"

"Uh, yeah… Let's head back," he said.

But nobody moved. They stood in place for a minute, awkwardly wondering why no one had taken a step to leave the ice cream shop already.

"Um…" she lightly giggled.

"Right," Ben chuckled. "After you," he gestured with his arms.

In the midst of their walk back to their apartment, Ben's hand slightly brushed against Rey's knuckles. Without a second thought, he caught her hand the second time mid swing and trapped his fingers between hers. She paused her steps for a moment to comprehend what he was doing. Stopping in his tracks too, he hesitated for just one second. Maybe he had gone too far? _Crap, crap, crap…_ he thought to himself. Instead, she smiled brightly at their connection, then up at him. She squeezed their hands in acceptance and tugged him gently forward to proceed their walk together.

Ben felt like he was on top of the world. He had passed his practice exam, taken Rey out for another "almost" date, and was now walking with her, hands intertwined and simply euphoric. Oh, and he couldn't forget that impulsive kiss!

This was it. He was going to tell her tonight how he felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Late Night Visitor
> 
> "He got into a bar fight with someone."
> 
> "What exactly happened?"
> 
> Rey was confused. In the almost seven years she's known Poe, a bar owner no less, he had never gotten so drunk that he fought with others. Poe was a happy drunk.


	23. Late Night Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: You guys didn't forget about Poe's subplot, right? Good :)

* * *

**~XXIII. Late Night Visitor~**

The ten minute walk back to their loft was the best time Rey had ever spent with Ben. In fact, their whole evening was magical. From their impromptu kiss to the dessert they split, and now this! He was holding her hand and she wasn't letting go. Talk about progress! Her mind was racing a mile a minute. Could tonight be the right moment to tell him how she felt?

They reached their building and he broke their interlinked hands for a moment to unlock the lobby door for them. Since the staircase to walk up to their level wasn't wide enough, their hands momentarily stayed separated a bit longer as they made their way up to the fourth floor. Halfway up the stairs, Ben clumsily skipped a step and almost tripped, provoking some laughter between them.

"Are you alright?" she giggled, turning around and bending down to his level, making sure he didn't fall on his back.

"I'm fine," he flushed in embarrassment. It wasn't his fault; his mind was distracted by what he wanted to tell Rey than evening that he didn't see the step in front of him!

She chuckled at him and tugged at his shirt sleeve, prompting him to hold on to her and follow her the rest of the way up the stairs carefully this time.

They reached their level and was about to enjoy some much needed alone time together to talk when a couple of familiar faces were waiting for them at their door.

"Hey look, it's our friends Ben and Rey," Poe slurred.

"Rose? Poe?" Rey acknowledged her friends.

Rose shot her head up from where she was sitting on the floor next to a very drunk Poe.

"Hey guys. I'm really sorry to have barged in. I was trying to call you Rey," Rose said hurriedly.

"Sorry, I left my phone in the loft. Ben and I were just grabbing some food."

"I go sleep now," Poe mumbled before closing his eyes and leaning against the door.

"Oh no you don't," Rose tried her best to keep him awake, but the man was getting drowsy.

"Is Poe alright?" Ben looked concerned. He stepped towards his friend and kneeled to his level, helping Rose out and observing his inebriated state.

"He got into a bar fight with someone," Rose informed them.

"There was a bar fight at the Cantina?" Ben asked.

"There's never any fights at his bar," Rey was confused.

"No, at another one nearby."

"Wait, what?" Ben and Rey were surprised.

"What exactly happened?" Rey asked.

In the almost seven years she's known Poe, a bar owner no less, he had never gotten so drunk that he fought with others. Poe was a happy drunk.

"I don't really know, he was with Finn," Rose got up and walked over to Rey, trying to explain what limited information she knew. "They were having drinks for some reason not at the Cantina, then Finn calls me to pick them up. Apparently, he got into a fist fight with another drunk guy about god knows what. The guy almost threatened to harm him with a weapon, so other people stepped in to stop it."

"Oh my gosh. And where's Finn?"

"He waited for the cops to arrive to talk to them and explain the situation. Poe got off clean because he was defenseless. Finn told me to take him home while he stayed to give his statement, but Poe insisted to come here. He didn't want to go anywhere else. I'm sorry you guys," she said to the pair.

"No, it's fine Rose," Ben said. "I'd rather have him here with us. Let's get him inside."

After much convincing, they managed to get Poe inside the loft and settled his limp body on the couch. While Ben attempted to get coherent responses out of Poe, Rey and Rose went into the kitchen to briefly chat.

"What's going on with Poe? He's never like this," Rey was gravely concerned.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. Like you said, he's usually the cool and collected one," Rose said.

"How did he end up at another bar tonight? That's strange."

Rose nodded her head in agreement. "Finn said he was going to hang out with Poe tonight, so naturally I thought the Cantina too. But when he called me earlier, I was surprised to hear they were somewhere else."

"Do you know why?"

"Nope. But whatever it was they were talking about, Finn said that Poe was getting heated with himself and started slamming down drink after drink. He couldn't stop him, and he wasn't sure how to do so either. Then the next thing Finn knew Poe got into a spat with someone sitting nearby."

"Is Finn alright?" Rey asked.

"Yeah. He stayed out of it for a bit then tried to hold Poe back. When the guy took out a knife, everyone else around them ganged up on him so Finn and Poe wouldn't get hurt."

"That's a relief."

Rose's phone then beeped.

"It's Finn. He's done talking to the police and the bar owner. I better get going and pick him up."

"Alright, well I'll call you two tomorrow and tell you how Poe's doing."

The two women embraced before Rey walked Rose to the door.

"See you, Ben. Take care of Poe for me, will ya?"

"I've been taking care of this sack of crazy since 1998," he joked before waving her goodbye.

Rose and Rey laughed at his comment and they hugged once more before their guest departed. When she left, Rey joined Ben and Poe over at the couch.

Poe was leaning against the arm of the couch, steadying himself, but looked to be passed out.

"Is he alright?"

"Still a little loopy, not sure we can get anything clear from him for a bit."

"Let me grab a washcloth for him."

Before Rey could get up, Poe started mumbling nonsense.

"Hey buddy? You awake?" Ben asked.

Poe finally opened his heavy lidded eyes and stared between Rey and Ben. He shakily grinned at the two.

"Hey Poe, how're you feeling?" Rey gently asked.

"C-c-c…." he tried to utter something.

"Come on, buddy," Ben helped him bring his head up straighter. "Spit it out."

Poe finally sat up, eyes open wider and coughed before speaking up.

"C-can I have grilled cheese?"

Ben and Rey chuckled at his question and nodded.

"Sure thing. Coming right up," Rey said.

As Ben helped their friend sit up straighter and more comfortably on the couch, Rey walked over to the kitchen to whip up a quick grilled cheese sandwich for their friend. She came back minutes later with the plate of food and a water bottle.

Poe's eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store and scarfed down the greasy meal in seconds. He was a mess, but Ben and Rey sat patiently beside him. Poe seemed to be satisfied to have food in his belly and he sat there, again smiling between his friends. Suddenly, he moaned painfully, grabbing at his temples, indicating to Ben and Rey that he may have a bit of coherency in him now.

"How much did I have to drink tonight?" he groaned.

"According to Finn… more than you usually do," Rey said.

"You feeling any better, man?" Ben asked.

"What do you think?" Poe grabbed at his temples and rubbed his head slowly.

Rey handed him his water bottle, hoping he'd drink some to flush the alcohol from his system.

"What happened tonight, Poe?" she asked.

Poe fiddled with the cap of the water bottle for a bit. He wasn't sure where to begin.

"Why does love have to be so complicated?" he blurted.

Ben and Rey were surprised at his utterance. Were they even the right people to answer that for him? Still, Poe continued to speak.

"I mean, you put yourself out there hoping for something good. But it's not that easy, not that simple," he rambled on. "Why do we have to play games with each other on something so simple as telling someone how you feel?"

They weren't sure if Poe's questions were directed for his own thoughts or if it was directed to them. Either way, it was _spot on_.

"Are we talking about a particular person?" Rey gently asked.

"Kaydel," Poe shared.

"That girl at your party?" Ben recalled.

"She's the new bartender at the Cantina," he revealed.

"Is that why you weren't drinking at your bar tonight?" Rey figured.

He nodded.

"What happened with her?" Ben wondered.

Poe took a sip of his water. Traces of alcohol were still on his lips with a mixture of his own blood from the bruises on his right cheek. It was certainly a low moment for him.

"I don't exactly know, Ben," Poe answered him. "One minute we're having a good time, and the next she doesn't want to hang out anymore."

"I didn't know it was serious," Rey said.

Poe feebly shrugged. "I guess we didn't know either… She doesn't think I'm capable of committing to her."

"I mean… come on Poe. You're not exactly a one-woman kind of guy," Ben confessed. As harsh as it sounded, it was true about their friend. Everyone knew Poe was a lady's man.

"Neither were you, but look at you now," Poe argued with him.

Ben and Rey awkwardly glanced at one another.

"This is a unique situation," Ben tried to reason with him.

"I'm not talking about this," Poe pointed a finger between his two friends. "Hux told me you were in a long term relationship with some girl."

"That wasn't really much of a healthy one to begin with," Ben shared.

"Yeah, but you still managed to stay with one girl for five years." He then turned to Rey. "And your fiancé was a complete jackass, but he stayed in a relationship with you for three years. Though if you let Finn and me junk punch him much earlier, we could've saved you sooner," he sadly chuckled.

Poe, even in his lowest moment, still tried to cheer Rey up. _Such a true friend._ She lightly smiled, appreciating his gesture.

"All I'm saying is that this isn't impossible. People can change. Especially if they find the right person, am I right?" Poe asked his friends.

"I'd like to think that," Ben smiled. He glimpsed at Rey; she returned the grin.

"Even so," Poe continued to ramble with Ben, ignoring that social cue between the pair. "Your relationship with Rey may be complicated, but you've stayed committed to her – court order or not."

_Court order or not_.

Sometimes they forgot this was court ordered. Sometimes they forgot they were just roommates. Or maybe they did know in the back of their minds this was still a unique situation, it always was. Maybe they didn't want to be reminded of this ticking time bomb.

"I tried telling Kaydel that guys like me and Ben can change but she still didn't know if she could trust me to stay committed to her. She didn't even want to take things slow or just be friends," he scoffed. "I mean if you two can do it, then why couldn't we?" he desperately asked.

Again, the two glanced at one another, reflecting their friend's words.

"Look, I'm sorry I asked Rose to come here. I don't want to ruin your evening. You two seemed like you were having a nice time until I messed it up."

Normally Poe would have reveled in teasing Ben and Rey for acting friendly, but his changed demeanor really showed that he was serious about this girl.

"Buddy, if it weren't for you, Rey and I wouldn't even be this close," Ben confessed. "Need I remind you it was your idea to have us become roommates. And guess what, we're really enjoying each other's company."

Rey smiled at Ben.

"I'm glad you guys," Poe said simply. "I know I joke around, but you two are my best friends. I just want you both to be happy."

_Be happy together or happy in general?_ What did Poe mean by that?

"Even if nothing comes out of this, I see how you two have changed. You bring out the best in each other. Love or no love, I wish someone was that for me. I thought Kaydel was the one. My _crazy Vegas story_."

"I'm sorry, since when did Ben and I become an adjective?" Rey joked.

Poe and Ben chuckled at Rey's remark. They were definitely each other's crazy Vegas story, that was for sure.

"There we go, laughing! That's progress. Cheer up, dude," Ben tried to console him.

Poe sat for a moment in silence with his friends.

"Is it weird that I want what my two best friends have?" he said vaguely.

"Poe what are you talk-"

Without warning, Poe heaved a breathy sigh, got up and ran to the sink to hurl the contents in his stomach.

Instinctively, Rey shot up and asked Ben to wet a cool washcloth and grab Poe a fresh shirt to wear. She then hurried over to her friend hunched over the sink and rubbed his back as he continued to expel his toxins. She encouraged him to let it all out, soothing him as best she could. When he seemed to have coughed up the last bits, she went to the refrigerator and grabbed another bottle.

"You alright Poe? Drink some water."

After a couple of dry heaves, Poe wiped his mouth with a napkin and accepted the water. He took a few gulps trying to regain his composure when Ben came back to the kitchen.

"Hey buddy, let's get you out of that jacket and into something more comfortable, what do you say?" Ben offered a clean shirt and sweatpants for his friend to change into.

Rey volunteered to take care of the sink and wipe down the counter, while Ben helped Poe clean himself up. Without a second thought, they mutually agreed to keep Poe with them overnight. Rey suggested Poe sleep in the room so she could watch over him. Normally that would send some red flags to some guy sleeping on the same bed as a girl that you're vying for, but Ben knew Poe and Rey were best friends just like they were, and he trusted him. Poe naturally agreed to the sleeping arrangement since he assumed that it wouldn't alter their current situation. He figured Ben and Rey slept in different rooms since they were always so set on just being 'roommates' and nothing else. Unbeknownst to Poe, Ben had changed his place of rest from the couch to the bed, though now wasn't the time to bring that up. Although. with the day he had, he was most looking forward to sleeping with Rey that night. _It is what it is._

After Rey wiped up the occurrence in the kitchen, she hopped in the shower to quickly clean herself up as well. Ben helped Poe onto his side of the bed as of late. The two friends sat on the mattress and chatted for a bit after everything that happened that evening.

"I really appreciate you and Rey taking care of me, man."

"Hey, you're my oldest friend," Ben lightly chucked his shoulder.

"You've really changed since I last saw you," Poe noted.

"Well the last time you saw me I was 18, Poe," Ben chuckled. "I'd like to think I've matured in 12 years."

Poe genuinely laughed for the first time that night.

"And you've changed too, dude. I mean, you're always the charmer, but you're so responsible now. What with being a business owner and all that."

"Yeah well responsible with life, but not with love," he sighed.

"Hey, this is just a setback," Ben argued. "Look, if you really think Kaydel is worth it, then don't give up."

Poe smiled.

"You've definitely changed, Ben."

"I hope that's a good thing," he chuckled.

"It is," Poe nodded. "I see the way you treat Rey. You're selfless. Not like the little punk I was friends with back in the day. She's a special girl. Like my little sister. I can honestly say I trust you to take care of her."

Ben blushed, averting his gaze so his best friend wouldn't see.

"I don't really know what this is..." He gestured at Ben and the bathroom door (where Rey was cleaning up).

Ben looked confused.

"You can't fool me man, not even when I'm down," Poe laughed. "But I see something going on here. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"It's complicated, Poe."

"Yeah well, I know all about complicated now."

"Just don't be stupid like me and waste so much time before she gets away."

Poe was about to ask him what he meant by that, but Rey suddenly emerged from the restroom in a tank top and shorts (different from her usual oversized nightshirt since they had a guest over) and appeared in front of the two guys.

"How's our little patient feeling?" she asked sweetly.

"I'm beat," Poe yawned.

"Well, I'll leave you to rest then," Ben stood up and walked towards the door.

Rey shot a glance at him, then at Poe, then back to Ben. She wanted to talk. She had so much to talk about with Ben, but she knew she needed to attend to Poe.

"Night, Ben," Poe said.

"Goodnight you guys," he curtly nodded and shot a glance at Rey.

She nodded and waved at him before he shut the door. _I guess we'll talk tomorrow._

Rey filled a glass of water from the bathroom sink and handed it over to Poe to assure he stay hydrated throughout the night.

"Thanks nurse Rey," he teased.

"There's our Poe Dameron! The jokester," she giggled.

They settled under the covers comfortably.

"Remember the first time we had a sleepover at Rose's apartment?"

"Kiddo, you say sleepover like we were all 15 year old girls," Poe chuckled. "Give me and Finn some decency here!"

"Oh please, it's kind of hard to believe this whole macho thing with you guys since whenever Rose and I would put on face masks you both wanted them too!"

"Hey, it's important to exfoliate your skin - men and women alike!"

They both laughed at his ridiculous answer.

"Anyways, what about that sleepover?"

"Well if you remember, I had a fight with Hobbie around that time, when we took that short 'break'," she shared. "You guys came over and tried cheering me up. Just reminds me of it because now I get to return the favor for my best friend and cheer you up."

"Thanks," he smiled. "But you know we all knew he was a jerk. Seriously Rey, what were you thinking with Hobbie?" he halfheartedly joked.

"I don't know, Poe. He was my first serious relationship. How did I know he was going to treat me so bad?"

"It's all the love is blind crap people say. But you also got to see if it's actually love, or just the idea of it. Did you actually love Hobbie?"

"You know, everyone's asked me that question," she stated.

"Did you ever answer it?"

She paused for a moment.

"At first, I'd like to tell people of course I did. I was with him for so long, hell we were engaged! It would've been embarrassing to say I didn't," she said to him.

"It's not embarrassing if it's the truth," he told her.

"Fair enough," she agreed with him. "And you're right. Once enough time passed, I really thought about it… So, no. I don't think I was really in love with Hobbie. I was in love with the idea of the life he'd give me."

Poe patted Rey's hand. He knew even though she was most likely over the jerk, her past with him still haunted her.

"At least you saw his true colors before you did something stupid like marry the guy."

They looked at each other and suddenly burst into laughter at his remark.

"I'm sorry. That's not what I meant."

"I know, Poe," she chuckled. "This thing with Ben and I is… a unique situation."

"It's not as complicated as you both put it," he rolled his eyes at her. "Rey, it's okay if you and Ben are starting to like each other."

"We don't like each other like that."

"Really?" he wasn't convinced. "I may have been drunk off my ass when I was sitting in the hallway with Rose, but even I saw you two making googly eyes at each other when you walked up the stairs."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she played it cool.

"Alright, I won't push," he chuckled.

Rey started to get into a comfortable position to sleep. Poe took a sip of his water before turning in as well.

"Well, if there's one thing you should know it's that I'm proud of you, kiddo. You've finally moved on and you're so much happier now. There's the Rey Andor we all know and love," he mimicked her earlier sentiment.

"Really?" she asked.

"Mhm," he nodded. "And don't kill me but I think part of the reason you're you again is because of Ben."

With that, Poe settled into a comfortable position and closed his eyes. Rey lied in bed in silence, with Poe's staggered and eventual steady breathing the only noise around.

Tonight, to say the least, was unexpected. Full of highs and lows, it all came down to one thought – _Ben._ She replayed the night in her head: he kissed her, they went on another 'almost' date, they consoled a lovesick Poe whose predicament eerily paralleled their own, and now this. Poe telling her that she had returned to being herself again. And he claimed it was because of Ben's influence. Was that true? She had to admit that lately she was feeling less stressed and more content. She was actually happy. Did that have to do with Ben?

She had planned to talk to him when they got back from Sloan's. She could've sworn she felt something from him, a sort of reciprocity in their feelings. She wanted to know if he was starting to have actual feelings too as she had come to terms to have some strong ones for him. She liked him. That she knew. And she desperately wanted to know if he liked her back.

Realizing she couldn't sleep until she spoke with Ben, Rey quietly got up and headed for the door.

Rey opened the door slowly so as to not wake Poe up. She stepped out into the hallway and was surprised to find Ben walking towards her direction from the other end of the dimly lit corridor. He had the same idea as he was also not in the state to sleep, thinking of the past events of the evening and wanting to have some resolve.

When he saw her, he stopped in his tracks.

Their eyes met and suddenly they both grew wary. What did this mean that they both were keen on speaking to one another in the middle of the night? Ben softly chuckled and walked the rest of the way to Rey. She smiled at him intently. There was so much they needed to talk about, but at that moment they just wanted to be in each other's presence.

Ben reached out to hold Rey's hands, focusing his attention on her soft touch. She glanced at their connection and smiled to herself.

This was it. They were going to throw all their cards on the table.

They stared into each other's eyes, catching a glimpse of a twinkle between them. This felt right. The moment was right…

"Mrmrmph! Nooo!" a loud grumble came from the room.

It was Poe. Rey could tell he was probably having a nightmare. In the years she's known him, when Poe had bad days, his nights weren't any better. That's why she insisted he sleep with her that night so she could watch over him.

She turned her head towards the noise, then back to Ben. Her look of worry was enough for them both to understand that their best friend was more important tonight. They'd get their chance to talk, they figured that. They'll just have to find another moment later.

Ben let go of Rey's hands and allowed her to turn back towards the bedroom to attend to their friend.

"Goodnight Rey," he softly spoke.

He took a step towards the direction he came from, only to be pulled back around. Without a second thought, Rey tugged at his arm and came face to face with a surprised Ben. She placed her hands on either side of his face and stole a chaste kiss from his lips, similar to what he did with her earlier that evening.

She had been wanting all night to feel his lips on hers again, and she couldn't wait any longer. Sure, it would make the wait a bit more difficult, but this was her chance to show him how she felt, even if it was subtle.

The kiss was brief, but full of passion. He responded immediately, grabbing her sides and held his grip on her when she broke them apart barely a second later.

She wanted to stay like this - foreheads touching - a bit longer. But Poe mumbled again in his sleep, bringing her down from this high and accepting the moment to be over. He let go of her hold from her waist and let her step back inside the bedroom.

"Goodnight Ben," she whispered.

She went back to the room and shut the door. He practically floated his way back to the couch and settled down into a comfortable position. He stared at the ceiling grinning like a fool, thinking how tonight, apart from Poe's broken heart, had been the best night ever between him and Rey. Before he closed his eyes to dream about a certain brown-haired hazel-eyed beauty, Ben was left with one more thought - one more revelation to end this perfect night.

_I think I'm falling for my wife._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Gathering Up The Courage
> 
> "I've lived in Los Angeles basically my whole life, yet I'm still discovering so many good eats around here."
> 
> "We got to try more new places."
> 
> Something inside him instantly lit up, and he sat up in bed, gazing at Rey and smiled.
> 
> "Rey, would you like to go out with me this Saturday?"


	24. Gathering Up The Courage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Want to clear a few things - First, this is going to be a fast/forward moving chapter, covering almost an entire week. Second, in the movie with the same name, their romance escalates quick and out of nowhere. Obviously this isn't out of nowhere, though the sudden romance is where I took this chapter. But... well, just enjoy this chapter ok? I'm sure it's what you've all been waiting for!

* * *

**~XXIV. Gathering Up The Courage~**

When Ben and Rey didn't actually want to avoid one another, things got in their way. Poe ended up crashing with the couple for the weekend, not leaving until Monday evening. While they desperately wanted some alone time to talk, they were glad to help their friend get back on his feet and recuperate from his heartbreak. By the end of his stay, Poe felt refreshed and encouraged to start anew and see where his feelings for Kaydel would take him.

"Thanks again you guys for the hospitality. Really, I appreciate it!" Poe said gratefully to his hosts.

"You should probably stay away from alcohol for a while," Rey suggested.

"And be boring like you two? _Pass_ ," Poe snorted.

"At least watch your alcohol intake for a bit," Ben said to him.

"What are you my AA sponsor?" Poe teased Ben.

"I feel like I was a few days ago!" Ben exclaimed.

"Geez. You get in one bar fight and you're pretty much grounded," Poe scoffed.

"You shouldn't have been in a bar fight in the first place, mister!" Rey scolded him.

"She's right," Ben agreed with Rey.

"Augh Gawwwd," Poe rolled his eyes. "Yes mom, yes dad. I won't overdo my alcohol intake again. Ya happy?" he mocked.

Ben and Rey awkwardly shuffled at his remark. Did he really have to call them 'mom and dad'? Poe knew he had turned the tables on them and haughtily grinned in delight. Yep, jokester Poe was definitely back.

"Anything else before I go, mom and dad?" he asked teasingly.

Rey glared at him and smacked is arm, eliciting a laugh from all three of them to relieve the tension. Ben walked over to open the front door. Rey followed suit and walked over with their friend hugging his side.

"Just promise no more bar fights okay?" Rey ordered him.

"No more, promise! Unless of course someone tries beating Finn up again," Poe chuckled.

"Finn's come a long way, I'm sure he can fend for himself with some hapless drunk," Rey giggled.

"I can vouch for that. The man nearly killed me the first time we met," Ben reminded them.

After another round of hugs and thank you's, Poe finally departed and left Rey and Ben alone together for the first time in three days.

They stood in place, lingering for a bit. After their intimate night the previous Friday, one would think they'd continue where they left off. Though a few days to think about it, they each thought that they were too caught up in the moment and impulsivity took over. It wasn't that they were second-guessing their feelings, no. Instead, they were thoroughly trying to decide the best way to approach each other from the aftermath. They wanted to do this right. No more rushing into things.

"Um…" Ben mumbled.

Rey looked at him hopefully.

"I'm going to catch up on studying. Lost a few days while we took care of Poe."

"Oh," Rey replied. There was a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Okay."

They timidly walked past one another, Ben to the computer desk and Rey to the kitchen to busy herself and probably find a snack.

"Rey?" he said from across the room.

She whipped her head around instantly. A little too eager than she had hoped to seem.

He was about to speak; To tell her how he felt, ask her out on a real date. But this was Ben Solo, of course he chickened out. Instead, he asked her something else.

"D-do you mind helping me study for a bit?"

She really thought he was going to say something. Maybe bring up what happened last Friday. But, she figured, it was still a very touchy subject to talk about, so she accepted his other offer and walked over to sit beside him.

They spent the remainder of the evening going over the important concepts that Ben needed to know for his exam. Here and there, they stole flirty glances and let small giggles escape from their lips. It felt almost right, yet no one still brought up their intimate evening.

When it came time for bed, Ben and Rey instinctively walked to their bedroom. Assuming now that Poe left, he would resume his new sleeping spot. Going back to routine, they both got ready for bed, then made themselves comfortable on their respective sides of the mattress. They settled in the same position, both lying on their backs, facing the ceiling. Ben turned his head slightly to get a view of Rey's face.

"Goodnight," he softly spoke.

"Goodnight," she twisted her head slightly and replied.

 _I guess we'll talk about it tomorrow_ , Ben thought. For now they would take it slow. Though in the back of his mind, he knew time was a factor. In just two weeks their time as 'roommates' would no longer be required as their court appointment was near.

Ben wanted to do something subtle. To assure her that he was still feeling things from last week. He slid his arm towards the center of the mattress to fiddle with Rey's idle hand nearby. She responded after a second and locked her fingers with his. She sighed lightly and at the corner of his eyes, Ben saw a tiny smile form on her lips. _Now_ he'll have a good night.

~.~.~.~

The following morning, Rey had to wake up earlier than usual to take a longer commute to Burbank. She had an important meeting and needed to dodge the morning traffic to get there in time. Ben hadn't woken up before she left so they missed a chance to chat briefly. When he did wake up, he fought with his mind all day on how he should talk to Rey and what he would tell her. He wanted to do it right this time.

 _Only 10 days and counting_ , he thought of their court date.

Unfortunately, Rey ended up texting him late in the afternoon informing that she would be home late, with her meeting in Burbank lasting the entire day. By the time Rey arrived back, half past 9 PM, Ben was fast asleep on his side of the bed, handbook sprawled over his chest from studying all day. Rey smiled to herself, she was so proud of his dedication. But she was upset at herself for missing a day to spend with him and try to talk about what happened last week. She too was counting the days and knew that she would have to talk to Ben sooner or later.

Wednesday was no different as once again Rey needed to spend her workday in Burbank. She departed early but this time left a note for him explaining her late night arrival and apologizing for it (though she didn't really have anything to apologize for). Ben, although was upset about it, knew she had a job to do so once again he bummed around gathering his thoughts and busied himself with studying.

He was snacking on a bowl of ice cream before starting his study session that late afternoon when on the bottom of his computer screen a video chat request from his mother popped up. Usually he'd miss her calls because he didn't use his computer much and his mother, being the businesswoman she was, utilized web conferencing almost all the time. Deciding he had nothing else to do and was obviously free, he answered it.

" _Hey Mom," he waved._

" _Oh sweetheart! You actually picked up!" Leia smiled brightly through the screen._

" _Yeah well I'm not usually on the computer much. You really need to learn how to Facetime. I taught dad how to use it."_

" _The screen on a phone is too small, and I'm always with my notebook wherever I go, you know that son," she explained._

" _Therein lies the problem, mom," he laughed._

" _I'm surprised you're on your computer to begin with. I just took a shot and thought to call and say hello."_

" _I was studying for my exam. Normally Rey and I would just use the book, but she's not here so I figured I should take some practice tests online."_

" _Sorry about that dear, that's my fault."_

" _Huh?"_

" _Rey's been coming to my office in Burbank the past few days with Lando. We're working on a new contract for a collaboration project, remember?"_

_Before Ben could answer, Leia spoke again._

" _Oh Rey!" she said off screen. "Come here dear, I'm talking to Ben."_

_A few seconds later, Rey appeared on the screen, hunching over behind Leia._

" _Sorry I've taken your wife for the past few days sweetheart, you know us working women," she joked._

_Rey smiled softly and waved to him. "Hey."_

" _Hey," he blushed. Hopefully the picture didn't immediately highlight the tints on his cheeks._

_Someone off screen had called for Leia._

" _Oh be right back dear, I think my assistant needs me to sign something," she said to Rey. Leia got up and left quickly. Rey decided to take her seat for the time being._

" _Long time no see," he joked with her._

" _I know, I'm sorry. I've been meaning to tell you I was visiting your mom at work. It's just been so hectic the past few days."_

" _No worries. You're in the big leagues now, I'm proud of you," he courageously winked._

" _Thanks," she blushed madly. "Sorry for missing dinner again. I'll make it up to you."_

" _You better," he said. "It's been pretty pathetic of me eating ice cream by myself in front of the TV," he chuckled._

" _You really need to watch your sugar intake," she teased him._

" _Too late," Ben comically scooped a large bit of ice cream and showed Rey his spoon before taking a bite of his dessert._

" _You're so bad," she laughed._

_He crinkled his nose and smirked at her._

" _Aww isn't that sweet," Leia ogled at the two as she stepped back inside her office. She walked up to Rey and turned to the screen. "Well, as much as I'd love to see you two make googly eyes, Ben dear we need to get back to work. I promise I'll get your wife home to you soon," she winked._

_With that Leia signed off the video chat._

_*click*_

_So that's why she had to travel far the past few days,_ Ben thought. Truthfully, he liked the idea that his mother was spending time with Rey. The two most special women in his life bonding. With that thought in his mind, he blushed to himself.

Rey arrived back at the loft this time nearly 10 PM. After a long day, Leia insisted on taking her out for dinner. She enjoyed spending time with the older woman. More so loved whenever Leia would constantly remind her that she was her daughter-in-law. While it was a bit deceiving and certainly complicated, it was times like tonight that Rey couldn't help but feel warm inside to have a type of parent, a mother figure in her life once again; No matter that her days of her new title were almost up. In the back of her mind, she maybe hoped that she and Ben might work things out and she would permanently have a family again, and a mother in Leia.

The loft was dark when she walked in as it usually was when she got back late. Ben was most likely asleep in their room so naturally he turned off all the lights. Except tonight he left a single light on in the kitchen. Curiously, she walked over to the counter where he had left lit and found a tiny surprise.

A post-it note was taped over a small box.

**_Figured you'd come home pretty late, Ms. Big League, so I bought you a snack. Got you your favorite ;)_ **

"Ms. Big League," Rey chuckled to herself.

She glanced down at the box, reading the name of the place, _"The Pie Hole"._ She rolled her eyes at the name. Of course Ben would go to a place with a whimsical name.

She opened the tiny dessert box and found a slice of pie. Cherry pie. Her favorite. She remembered telling Ben that little thing about herself on the night they met. How he remembered everything she has told him since was beyond her, but it always made her feel warm inside when she realized it. Smiling into the first bite of her dessert, all Rey could think of was how grateful she was for having such a considerate 'husband'.

When she finished her snack and she was cleaning her dirty plate and fork, she hummed lightly and smiled to herself for no reason other than that she was thinking of Ben. He's been so sweet to her lately; making her laugh, making her smile, making her think of him every free moment she had-

 _Oh my god,_ Rey suddenly realized. _Am I in love with Ben Solo?_

~.~.~.~

The next morning, Thursday, Rey didn't have to go to work until her usual time of 8 AM. _Thank god._ The fatigue was getting to her and she needed that extra time to sleep in. However, she didn't sleep in long enough when she was woken up by Ben sometime in the early morning. She would've been upset, but this was the first time he had done something like this. Plus, the excitement in his eyes told her that he was up to something. So she got up and got ready for work, per Ben's wishes.

He wasn't lying when he wanted Rey to make up her absence in the loft for the last few days. He woke up earlier than her and made them breakfast. Hoping she wouldn't sleep in, he even tiptoed back to the room to gently wake her up when he was done. She was surprised but was delighted for his thoughtfulness and a was happy to have a reason to spend time with him that morning - despite losing some much need sleep. After her whole late night revelation, she was still trying to figure out what to do about it.

"Thanks again for the pie. It was just what I needed after a long day."

"I got to take you to the place I got it."

"They do have a catchy name," she teased.

"Yes, they do," he chuckled. "And they've got amazing flavors."

"Oh say no more I'm in!" she agreed.

"They've got some interesting flavors too. Like one of them, the earl grey tea pie, it's actually pretty good. You might like it."

"Why, because I'm British?" she stuck her tongue out at him.

"I mean, you guys love your tea!" he laughed heartily. "And hey, you teased me last week when I went to a Dodger's game with Hux!"

"Ben, you were painted blue from head to toe. You looked like a smurf!" Rey cackled. "I didn't know what the term 'America's pastime' meant until I saw you that day."

"Yeah, but I was a cute smurf, right?" he waggled his eyebrows playfully.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," she giggled at him.

"You should see when Poe and I used to go to Lakers games. He'd bleed purple. He looked like a Teletubby!"

"Well, he's already got the name for one," Rey poked fun at their friend as well. "Speaking of Poe, he might stop by today. He left his jacket here the other night. I washed it for him so it's on the dresser."

"Got it," Ben nodded, calming down from their laughing fit.

They finished their meals and Ben got up to start putting things away.

"Thanks for breakfast," she said sweetly when he picked up her plate.

"No problem," he winked at her. This made her blush. _Score one for Ben!_

These few days that Rey was gone, Ben got a lot of thinking done. He was determined to talk to Rey and tell her how he felt. That he knew. But the problem was gathering the courage to do so. That was still a work in progress. _Baby steps_.

He walked over to the sink to dump the dishes, then came back to wipe the table down.

"Oh shoot, I better start the Keurig right now so I can make some coffee for work," Rey glanced at the clock on the wall, seeing that she had just enough time to do said thing.

She got up and walked over to the kitchen, then proceeded to turn the coffee machine on, choose her pod and wait for the water to heat up. She grabbed a travel mug from one of the shelves above and anticipated grabbing another one in case Ben wanted a drink as well.

"Do you want a cup of coffee t-"

She was halted from her question when she turned around only to be in very close proximity to him. He was standing barely a few inches from her, looking down at her with a clouded gaze.

"Hi," she said softly, feeling his body heat so close to hers.

The last time they were this close was in the elevator at the gala. Was he going to lean in this time?

"Hi," he hummed back.

With no retort from his actions, Rey allowed Ben to step closer – if that were even possible – and he kissed her firmly. She moaned into the contact, which made him kiss her even harder. A moment too soon she surprised them both and pulled away.

"Ben, what are we doing?" she said breathlessly, asking as sound as possible, but her lustful need for him was weakening her defense.

"Oh man, you've never made out with someone before? You poor thing," he teased.

Sure, he should've been more serious about her question, but he didn't regret his actions. Thankfully, she thought he was being playfully cute.

"Jerk," she giggled.

"Alright, if you want me to stop, then-" he started to let go of her to step away. She pulled him back by the arm and he stumbled forward, trapping Rey between the counter behind her and his massive form.

"Just shut up and kiss me," she narrowed her eyes at him seductively.

"Yes ma'am," he lowly drawled.

He pressed his lips to hers again and deepened the kiss more than the first time. She tangled her hair in his luscious black locks, something she's been wanting to do since the last time she'd done so in Vegas. He placed his hands on her waist sliding his fingers under her blouse and pushing the garment up to get a feel of her smooth skin. He stayed grabbing at her sides and pressed against her as they mindlessly took advantage of this intimate moment.

It wasn't Ben's fault entirely for his impulsive actions. When he finished wiping the counter down, he had turned around to see Rey, with her slim figure and gorgeous ass reaching for a travel mug on the top shelf. He couldn't _not_ listen to his hormones. _He's only a man for goodness sake!_

They heard a knock on their door a few seconds later, because why not? When were they ever given an actual moment to themselves? _Oh universe, you heartless bitch._

It was barely 7:30 AM. Who on earth would visit them?

"I swear to god if that's Poe I'm going to kill your friend," Ben groaned.

"He's your friend too," Rey giggled, still held in his grip.

"Yeah well if he's behind that door right now then he's public enemy number one to me," he grumbled.

"Go get the door, I have to get ready for work anyway. Stop distracting me," she patted his chest playfully.

They really needed to stop. This spur of the moment act of desire was a whirlwind, and Rey didn't even know what to think of it. Sure, she confessed to herself her true feelings for the man, but it was all still new to her and she didn't know if he was on the same page. Though based on the way he was kissing her, she'd bet that there was definitely some mutual attraction. She just knew that she wanted him to kiss her, which was why she let it happen. She'd explore the meaning of it later.

Ben pouted letting go of Rey and dragged his feet to answer the door.

"Mom?" He didn't expect her at their loft that morning.

"Good morning dear," Leia stepped inside and gave her son a kiss on the cheek.

"Leia, good morning!" Rey was surprised as well, smoothing out her blouse.

"To what do we owe this very early surprise?" Ben said through gritted teeth.

"My goodness Ben, why are you so grumpy this morning?" Leia dismissed his actions.

If his mom knew what she interrupted, she'd understand his frustration.

Rey smirked at his behavior, telling him to be nice.

"I'm going to meet with Lando and Rey at their office today. Your father drove me to town a bit early. Figured I'd stop by and accompany Rey to work," she explained. "Besides, can't a mother stop by and say hello to her son and daughter-in-law?" she probed.

"I'd be honored to have your company, Leia," Rey smirked at her last remark.

Ben joined in eventually, apologizing for his initial surprise.

"Before I forget, your father is picking me up after work. Why don't you two join us for dinner tonight?" Leia suggested.

Ben grunted loudly, the two women turning their attention to him.

"Mom, you've had Rey for the past two days to yourself. Don't I deserve some alone time with her?" he said boldly.

Rey was thrown aback by his remark. He was never this forward in front of his parents about their relationship, or to anyone in fact. Then again, this was uncharted waters for them. They've never randomly made out in the six months they've known each other (Vegas not included). He flashed her a mischievous grin, which made her core heat up and a chill run down her spine. Was he implying something? Because their tiny make out session moments ago was already a lot to handle. Either way, Rey was definitely on the same page if he was. _My god, what is happening to me?!_ She thought.

But they were in the presence of his mother and she still had some dignity left for the two of them. _Some_.

"Oh humor me!" his mother swatted his shoulder. "You can have your alone time with your lovely wife any night. Come on, make your mother happy and have dinner with us tonight?" she tried guilting the couple.

"Ben let's join them, it'll be fun," Rey offered.

As much as she desperately wanted to explore this 'alone time' that Ben had mentioned, she didn't want to disappoint his parents.

"Oh alright," he gave in. "We'll be there."

Rey smiled at Ben and he nearly melted inside. This woman was too desirable as of late. He knew how impulsive he was that morning by kissing her, but his insides were about to burst if he didn't make a move with Rey already. And Ben wanted her to know her effect on him. He _really_ wanted her to know.

"Wonderful! I'll let your father know and I'll call you later to meet us at the restaurant. There's this lovely tea house my assistant mentioned to me and I've been meaning to check it out. It should be fun!"

"Sounds like fun," Rey nodded.

"Yeah, Rey _loves_ tea," Ben smirked at her.

Rey narrowed her eyes at him playfully and the pair burst out laughing.

"Wonderful!" Leia again exclaimed, not bothering to ask what their hysterics were about. She was just happy to be spending time with her son and daughter-in-law later.

Rey finished making her coffee, as well as a to-go cup for Leia, and the two women started to leave.

"See you tonight, dear," Leia waved at Ben before stepping out into the hall and starting for the stairs.

"Wait!" Ben called from the kitchen. "Rey, you forgot something."

Rey was following Leia out the door but stopped in her tracks when Ben called her.

"I'll meet you downstairs," she said to the older woman and went back inside.

"What did I forget?" Rey wondered.

She was always on top of things and prepped her messenger bag the night before with whatever she needed to take to work.

Ben walked up to her and shut the front door so they could have some privacy.

"Nothing, I just wanted to do this," he smirked.

He grabbed her by the waist, pulled her in close and kissed her roughly, resuming their spontaneous make out session from earlier.

"Ben… I'm… going… to… be late… for work…" she tried to say in between kisses. But her giggling wasn't convincing him that she was serious about being late.

"You could play hooky today," he suggested after he finally paused with the affection. He held on to her, not wanting to let go.

"That's tempting but your mother is downstairs waiting for me," she reminded him.

"Oh alright…" he pouted. "But this isn't over yet," he demanded.

His frustration was adorable.

"I'd hope not," she boldly teased.

He was shocked when she said that. It was kind of a turn on.

Rey still couldn't believe this was even happening right now. But here they were, a sudden 180 from the past six months of awkward sexual tension kissing like they've been doing it for so long.

"But…" she tried to reason with him. "We do need to talk."

"Right," Ben nodded. They certainly did. "But for now, I'm going to kiss you again."

She smiled as he leaned in one more time to press his already swollen lips to hers in a passionate kiss. He wanted to savor the moment, the taste of her lips on his for as long as he was allowed. Because he still wasn't sure if he was dreaming or if this was actually happening.

"Benjamin Skywalker Solo, you better not be doing what I think you're doing in there with your wife!" his mother hollered from behind the wall.

They abruptly broke apart and stared at the closed door.

"Oh god," Rey buried her embarrassment in Ben's chest.

"Moooom!" Ben grunted.

"I swear, you're just like your father sometimes…" they heard Leia murmur on the other side.

They turned to each other and laughed.

"Duty calls," she said, fanning her face with her hand a bit to cool down from the heated moment with him that resulted in the embarrassing remark from Leia.

After one last kiss, Ben finally let Rey go. _About damn time they started showing this much affection!_

They opened the door to a smirking Leia, and Rey - bless her heart - bit her cheek to try not to go red in the face even more. Ben rolled his eyes as his mother scolded him for trying to make Rey late before the two women finally left for the office. _And yes, they were late to work._

Whatever this moment was with them that morning, Ben was keen on continuing it with Rey later on. That and their talk. Don't forget the talk… But mostly kissing.

~.~.~.~

That evening, Ben met up with his parents and Rey at a tea house in Beverly Hills. Leia was always one to have unique dining experiences and this was certainly new for all of them. They enjoyed light salads and a delectable selection of charcuterie to pair with their flights of different teas.

"Mmm this Lapsang Souchoung has a very smoky aftertaste," Han was impressed. For a man who took his coffee black and his whiskey neat, he was thoroughly enjoying his tea tasting.

"Yeah, it's piney. Really good," Ben added.

"You know what would go great with this? Bourbon," Han suggested.

"You know, it tastes kind of like the bottle of Maker's Mark Obi-Wan gave grandpa for his birthday last year, doesn't it?"

"We definitely got to try this tea with that bottle," Han agreed. "You and Rey still on that no alcohol diet?"

"Going on six months," he proudly said, exchanging high-fives with Rey.

"Jesus, six months without alcohol," Han couldn't believe it. "You sure you two aren't expecting?" he teased.

"No dad we're not," this made Ben flush with embarrassment. Rey giggled at him and assured Han as well.

"Oh! Rey dear, you must try the jasmine lotus tea. It's got a wonderful aroma," Leia suggested.

Rey picked up the cup of tea she was referring to and took a sip.

"Mm you're right. It's delightful!"

Leia smiled approvingly and took another sip of her beverage as well.

"Did you know that the Hindus believed that the lotus flower was a symbol of fertility?" Leia shared innocently.

Rey nearly choked on her drink. She started coughing a fit.

Ben, who was just as shocked, placed his cup down and rubbed her back gently, handing her a napkin.

"You alright?" he asked her.

"Mhm," she managed to say in between coughs.

"Jeez mom, be any more be subtle," Ben scoffed.

Leia and Han laughed at the young couple.

"Well can you blame me?" Leia remarked. "Your father and I aren't getting any younger. When are you two going to give us grandchildren already?"

Again, Rey was trying to clear her throat from the awkward moment.

"Dad, please tell her to stop!"

"Sorry son. I'm with your mom on this one. We want little ones to spoil again," he winked at the couple.

"That's enough tea for me tonight. I need some water," Rey said to Ben. He signaled for a waiter to bring them some glasses.

"Well it was worth a try," Leia shrugged.

~.~.~.~

"Thanks for dinner, Han! Leia!" Rey waved as she and Ben stepped out of the car.

"Yeah thanks for the ride," Ben added.

"Any time, kiddos!" Han said.

"You two have a good night," Leia winked.

When they drove off, the two headed up to their loft. They had stayed out all night with his parents, another day lost in trying to talk alone together. But they wouldn't consider it a complete loss on the count of their intimate interactions that morning. They got ready for bed, changing into their sleepwear and brushed their teeth together per usual. Rey went to her dresser to take off her earrings. While Ben was being scolded earlier that morning, she ran to the room to grab her pearls for later that evening. She figured since it was going to be a double date with Ben's parents that night that she would dress up her outfit a bit with the scarce amount of jewelry she actually owned.

When she finished taking off the last piece, she felt familiar arms wrap around her waist, a warm body hugging her from behind.

"I think we have some unfinished business from this morning," he whispered in her ear.

"And what is that exactly?" she played along.

He twirled her around to face her and she snaked her arms around his neck.

"I think you know what I'm talking about," he mumbled.

Before she gave in, which she really wanted to, Rey had to be the voice of reason for them. As Ben inched his way closer to her face, she paused him gently, sliding her hands to his chest to keep a comfortable distance.

"Ben, I… is this not weird for you?" she asked him softly.

He knew what she meant. And maybe it was. But it felt more _right_ than anything.

"Don't be afraid. I feel it too," he said as he caressed her cheek softly.

It was vague, but more than enough for them both to understand that they were on the same page. Confused, worried, anxious… but totally into each other. She finally gave in and pressed her lips to his.

After a minute they broke apart, desperately seeking air to fill their lungs after that passionate kiss. He touched foreheads with her, smiling like a fool. She smiled back, then suddenly yawned.

"As much as I'd love to keep going, I'm really exhausted from today," she confessed.

"Aww," he pouted. _Damn, why did he look so cute when he did that?_

"I'm sorry. I haven't had much sleep with all the traveling. And I didn't want to sleep in because you made that amazing breakfast," she said to him.

"It's alright," he grinned at her. "Thanks for waking up early for that. I really appreciate it."

"Would I ever say no to food?" she smirked.

He rolled his eyes and chuckled, kissing her forehead. "Let's go to bed. We can talk more tomorrow."

They broke apart and made their way to the mattress. Rey basically fell onto her side, she really was exhausted from her long week.

"I'm sorry about my parents earlier, they're so embarrassing," Ben said as he fluffed his pillow to his liking.

"It's alright. I kind of miss when my parents used to embarrass me," Rey smiled, reminiscing a happy time in her life.

"Well I'm 30 and they still know how to push my buttons," he chuckled.

They settled into comfortable positions, much closer than they usually did and were facing each other for once. This time Ben intentionally linked hands with Rey, no more of this subtly for them. She didn't mind of course, grinning at his forwardness and squeezing his hand gently in response.

"Baby maker tea aside, that tea house had some pretty good food," Rey said before yawning again.

"I've lived in Los Angeles basically my whole life, yet I'm still discovering so many good eats around here," Ben admitted.

"We got to try more new places," Rey sleepily replied. She was in a losing battle with herself trying to keep her eyes open.

"Yeah we should," He said to her. Something inside him instantly lit up, and he sat up in bed, gazing at Rey and smiled.

His sudden movement was enough to keep Rey awake as she was about ready to drift off. She grinned back sleepily, wondering why he suddenly looked at her that way. Ben stilled for a moment, then his smile grew wider. Rey was curious and began to giggle at his expression.

"What?" she asked, fighting her sleep to sit up as well, fiddling with their intertwined hands.

"Rey," he breathed deeply, "Would you like to go out with me this Saturday?"

This time Rey was fully awake, and her expression grew. _Did he mean in general or…?_

"Like… on a date?" she timidly asked.

"No, not 'like' a date… But a _date_ ," he said brashly. "I'm asking you out on a date, and I really hope you'll say yes."

 _God how many times did I say the word 'date'? I must've sounded like an idiot,_ Ben thought to himself. But this was it. He was putting himself out there. If her actions this morning and tonight were any indication, he was hoping for a 'yes'.

She let her initial shock linger for a moment before coming back down to realization. Ben Solo was _finally_ asking her out. First a make out session, now a date? She was not expecting any of this.

They really should've talked about their feelings before even thinking of going on a date, let alone making out like they did so much today. But Rey's gut was telling her that everything was going to work out and to just trust her feelings this time. So, she leaned over, placed a soft kiss on his lips and smiled at him.

"Yes," she breathed. "I'd love to."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: When Everything Falls Apart
> 
> "I messed up, Rey... Really fucked this up."
> 
> "It's a little too late for that. You hurt me."
> 
> "Give me another chance."


	25. When Everything Falls Apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm going to finish my author's note at the end of the chapter.
> 
> This is a heavily angsty chapter. Brace yourselves...

* * *

**~XXV. When Everything Falls Apart~**

"Just make sure you send the NDA over to their office with the proposal. We can't let another slip up like Snap's mess us up. Not when this is a huge client."

"Sure thing, boss. I'll put that document on top of the stack!"

"Thanks Jess," Rey handed over the pile of papers. "Well, I think that's all. Let's call it a day, shall we?"

Jess took the papers and neatly stacked them on her desk right outside of Rey's office. She walked back to her superior with a quizzical expression.

"Really? You're not going to jump into a last minute contract that you say will only take fifteen minutes, but then we end up staying for almost an hour?" she teased.

"I don't always do that, do I?" she jokingly narrowed her eyes at her assistant.

"For as long as I've worked here with you, yeah you do it almost all the time!" the two women laughed.

"Well, take today as a gift then. I'm letting you off early to start your weekend!" Rey gathered her belongings and zipped her messenger bag.

"Hey, you don't have to tell me twice!" Jess grabbed her purse from under her desk.

The two ladies headed towards the front of the building. Rey took out one of her earbuds and set it in place. She was looking for the perfect playlist to listen on her way home. Absentmindedly, she started lightly humming.

"You seem awfully perky at the end of a workweek," Jess quipped at her bubbly friend.

"I'm just happy for the weekend," Rey simply replied.

And why wouldn't she be? Last night Ben asked Rey out on an _official_ date.

Yes. Ben Solo. Her husband of five months, three weeks, and two days. Her roommate. Her _crush_.

It was more than a crush though, that's for sure.

The whole week had been a tumultuous surprise for the pair. From their impulsive kisses and brief make out sessions, their dear friend Poe visiting and shedding some light on their innermost feelings, to their double date with Ben's parents – the moment felt right. They were a couple months late, but the time had finally come. They were going on a date. They were going to tell one another how they felt. They were going to start a real relationship. _Nothing_ could ruin Rey's aura.

Although, having to wait a whole day for their date was a bit of torture. While Friday, today, would have been ideal since he had just asked her out not even 24 hours ago, their bi-weekly check-in was scheduled for that afternoon, and it just wouldn't flow with their plans for a romantic evening. Plus, this gave Ben a chance to go all out. He spent the entire day planning their date; making reservations, borrowing his dad's car and taking it for a wash and detailing, and researching several idealistic spots in town he could take her for their Saturday of romance.

Talking to Pryde that day was probably the easiest check-in they've ever had. Even the counselor noticed a change in their dynamic. The pair was giggling, exchanging glances, and sitting very close to each other at all times. To say the least, he was satisfied with what he saw.

"Well, I'm happy to say that this is my last visit with you two," Pryde said as they walked him to the door.

"As much as we enjoyed your company, hopefully we'll never have to see you again," Ben chuckled.

"He means, thanks for all your support," Rey giggled at Ben's words, playfully scolding him in front of the counselor.

"I understand," Pryde chuckled as well. "And likewise, Mr. Solo. Good luck you too!"

When they shut the door, Ben high-fived Rey as they both cheered.

"We made it. We actually made it," he said in almost disbelief.

Rey nodded in agreement.

"I'm just glad Snoke never made a house call," she said in relief.

They stood in place, contentedly smiling at one another.

"Pizza?" he offered.

"It's like you read my mind."

Ben ordered a pizza from the mobile app and the pair settled into their typical routine of preparing for their meal. Plates gathered, soda's poured into glasses and cheese and pepper flakes set on the counter. They sat on the stools, face to face, acting like lovestruck teenagers ogling at one other, talking about random things to pass time.

One of Rey's biggest pet peeves was being interrupted mid speech. She wouldn't get angry at anyone per se, but her mind ran a mile a minute. Whenever she'd get interrupted her thoughts would hit a stump and it frustrated her to no extent to recall what she was talking about.

Rey was in the middle of rambling about this puff pastry recipe that she saw on the food network when Ben cut her off mid-sentence and stole a kiss on her lips.

To anyone else, she'd have been angry by the interruption. But she gladly accepted this distraction as she kissed him back, snaking her arms around his neck, deepening their connection.

"You know you can't make a habit of cutting me off whenever you feel like it," she teased, pausing their kiss.

"Hey, you're the one who looks so damn cute all the time. You can't blame me for being impatient to kiss you whenever I get the chance," he smirked.

"Oh so it's my fault?" she feigned hurt.

"Yes, finally you understand the root of my frustration!" he joked.

She was about to retort when once again he cut her off, capturing her giggles in his mouth and continued to kiss her some more.

They really have come a long way. Who would have thought six months ago they'd be in the kitchen, openly flirting, stealing kisses, anticipating their first date? Okay well their friends did. They teased them constantly. To some degree, Ben and Rey may have known this would happen. That they would fall for each other. It was only a matter of time. But they were glad that they weren't pressured or rushed by their friends. They got to know each other. They did it at their own pace… Well, at the pace they went because they were both afraid to admit anything right away. But that didn't matter anymore because they made it here to this moment. And they were happy. Finally happy.

They hadn't verbally expressed their feelings to each other yet; that was going to be saved for their first date the following evening. But the unspoken words exchanged between them and the apparent open intimacy in the past week was enough for Ben and Rey to understand that there was overlap, reciprocity, and mutual understanding.

Ben's phone beeped with a notification from the delivery guy with their order.

He groaned, cursing under his breath for having to break their kiss again from a little interruption. She giggled at him and kissed his nose, releasing her arms from his shoulders and stood up to go to the kitchen.

"Damn, the delivery guy accidentally took a wrong turn and got lost," he frowned at the message. "Must be a new guy. I better call him and meet him at the front of the building. I need my food!" he proclaimed.

He stood up from his seat and walked towards the door.

"Oh, do you mind checking the mail since you're going down to the lobby? I ordered some more k-cups for the Keurig."

Ben rolled his eyes at her. Rey as of late had discovered several interesting flavors of coffee online and was ordering new pods every week for them both to try. Not that Ben was complaining, he loved coffee, he just laughed at Rey's silly new obsession.

"You are a coffee addict, you know that?" he teased her. He opened the door and stepped out.

"Don't forget to check the mailbox!" she hollered.

"What? Can't hear you! Going to get a pizza!" he pretended and slammed the door shut.

Rey laughed to herself. She was going to get him back if he didn't return with a box of toasted marshmallow k-cups along with their food.

She opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of ranch dressing. Along with Ben's ridiculous sweet tooth, he had a very unhealthy appetite for pizza. These extra calories from the sauce just added to it. Rey shook her head, wondering how he even stayed fit. But then she remembered he worked out almost every day. Something she enjoyed when she started to join him. Not just for her own health, but because well… It's Ben in gym clothes, flexing his muscles and glistening all over for her to ogle at. And as of late, he started working out shirtless. _She's only a woman for goodness sake!_

There was a knock on the door moments later.

 _That's what you get for not bringing your keys to get the mail,_ Rey laughed to herself.

She excitedly walked to the door, thinking of a cheeky response to say to Ben for getting locked out of the apartment.

"Hi Rey."

All at once, her bright sunshiny day went colorless.

"Hobbie… what are you doing here?"

"Your assistant Jannah gave me your new address. Can we talk?"

Jannah was a recent new employee to assist Rey and Jess with the gala, then stayed on as her second assistant. She had never met Hobbie; never knew of that part of her past. She couldn't get too upset for her giving her address away to someone who probably charmed his way to get her new information.

"I don't have anything left to say to you," Rey flatly said. "I really think you should go."

"I messed up, Rey," he blurted. "Really fucked this up."

"It's a little too late for that," she mumbled. "You hurt me, Hob."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" she couldn't believe what he just said.

"Yeah?" he wondered why the confusion.

She leaned against the door frame, not really sure what his intentions were.

"You know in the three years we've been together, you never once actually admitted to saying you're sorry," she reminded him.

"Okay? And?"

"Nothing it's just…" Rey shook her head and sighed. "I always thought everything was my fault. That's why you never said it."

"Look, we can argue about this all day, but it doesn't matter. The past is the past," he tried to reason.

"It did matter, Hobbie. It still does. To me it does."

"Well then give me another chance," he expressed.

She looked at him in shock.

"What?"

"I want you back, Rey."

"Why?" It seemed like the right thing to say.

"I don't know. I just… I was sitting alone in my study one night and I thought of you and you know… I missed you and the little things you did for me."

"You mean like cook and clean for you?"

"Come on, give me some credit. You like to cook, don't you?" he retorted.

"You could've once cooked with me or something."

"Sweetie, you're the expert in the kitchen. I'm not. I took care of everything else. I took care of you."

"Agree to disagree."

"How can you say that?" he was offended. "I bought you the most expensive jewelry, took you to those gorgeous restaurants, and paid for anything you needed."

"Hobbie, buying my love isn't the same as taking care of me," she pointed.

"But it worked."

"Huh?" she was confused.

"You can stand there and paint me as a bad guy, but in the end, I took care of you. I put a roof over your head and promised you a future. That's what you want, right? A stable future?" He reminded her.

Rey had no words.

Hobbie briefly glanced behind her into the loft, then at his surroundings outside the door.

"I don't even know how you can manage to afford this dump, but you'd be better and safer at my apartment building. Now come home with me."

"I'm not yours to own anymore," she defended.

"Is this about the engagement? Do you want to get married still? I'll agree to it if you say yes. It's just a title, Rey. But if that's you want then fine," he said. _How romantic…_

"You're the one who said you didn't want to get tied down. That I wasn't marriage material."

"People can change you know."

"Out of convenience. You want me back for convenience. You have no one else to control."

"I am not controlling!" he raised his voice.

But Rey wasn't scared of him. She was done with his manipulative ass.

"Oh please, Hobbie. You controlled every detail of my life. Heaven forbid I stepped out of line, you made sure I was doing everything according to your plans," she scoffed.

"I was trying to make out a roadmap of our future," he explained.

" _Your_ future."

" _Ours!_ "

"Why are you here?" she decided not to let this rambling continue any longer.

"I want us to get back together. I want to be in a relationship again."

"Well you can't have one with me. I've moved on," she crossed her arms firmly.

"Well I haven't," he confessed.

She was surprised by this. When he dumped her, he seemed like he was ready to move on from Rey and start a new relationship with someone else. Someone less broken. Was he for real?

"You're just afraid to be alone," she said.

"I can have any woman I want. Don't even go there," he glared at her.

"Then go find another woman because I'm not coming back to you."

"Rey, think about it. Who else can give you the stable life you crave?"

She stayed silent. He still knew how to get in her head.

"M-maybe I don't want that anymore," she replied a bit timidly.

"Oh really?" he was unconvinced. "You don't want to wake up every day knowing you've got someone who takes care of you? To assure you that you're not alone anymore?"

"I'm not alone," she assured him.

"What do you mean?"

"I've got plenty of people in my life who care about me. More than you've ever cared."

"What, your dumb friend at the bar? Rose? Finn? Sweetie. They'll move on with their own lives eventually. You'll be alone again. Come back to me."

She didn't believe him. He was just messing with her head. _Not this time, bud…_

"Hobbie, you need to leave."

"Come on Rey, lighten up."

" _She said leave, dude_."

Never in her life was Rey so relieved to see Ben. Hobbie spun around and looked at the guy from head to toe.

"Who is this, the pizza guy?" he noticed Ben carrying their dinner in his hands.

"No, he's… my roommate."

"Seriously Rey? Do you really think I'm that stupid?" Hobbie rolled his eyes at her.

"If you stand there another minute, you'd be a fucking idiot because I won't hold back," Ben spat.

"Oh, you want to put your money where your mouth is tough guy?" Hobbie sneered.

They stepped roughly towards each other, both men sizing the other up.

"Ben," Rey stepped forward and gently tugged his arm. "He's not worth it."

Ben glared at the man for a bit but backed down slightly per Rey's request.

"Oh I see. You don't like being controlled, so you found someone to control. I guess I've rubbed off on you," Hobbie chastised her.

"I swear to god I will kick your ass right here, right now," Ben snarled.

"Ben, go inside. I got this. Please," Rey begged him.

He looked at Rey, then at Hobbie. He frustratingly grunted and stepped back. Grudgingly, he went into their loft to leave Rey to deal with their unwanted visitor.

"He can't give you the life I can. The guy's a loser! Let me take care of you," Hobbie exclaimed.

"I don't need to be taken care of. Especially not from you," she scoffed at him.

"So what, you're going to be with him? Play 'house' and live happily ever after?" Hobbie asked. "You think it's that easy?"

"It's none of your business what Ben and I do," she defended.

"Come on, Rey. You're seriously going to pass me up for some guy like him? You know I can give you everything. What can he give you?"

This was all happening so fast and her mind was in a complete mess. But she had the sanity to find the answer to his question.

"The one thing you can't," she simply replied.

As vague as that was, Hobbie saw that Rey was firm with her words. He knew he had failed.

"You changed, Rey." He dejectedly sighed. "Let me show you I can change too."

"Hobbie, please. Just leave me alone."

~.~.~.~

Rey stepped back inside and locked their apartment door immediately. She didn't have time to mull over what just happened with her ex because now she had another situation in front of her. As grateful as she was for Ben to come to her rescue, she was upset that he intervened. She wanted to deal with Hobbie by herself.

Ben was pacing around the room, angrily muttering curse words under his breath.

"Ben, why did you do that?!" Rey marched towards him.

He was caught by surprise. Was she really asking him that? He thought he'd at least get a 'thank you' or something.

"I can't believe you were engaged to that guy!" he scoffed.

"Well, I haven't always made the soundest decisions in my love life. You of all people should know that," she had anger laced in her voice. He noticed.

"Why are you getting mad at me? I was trying to defend you!"

"I can defend myself!"

"Well apparently not, because the guy wouldn't leave!"

"What is it with men thinking I can't fend for myself?!" she threw her hands in the air. "I'm not a weak little puppy dog needing someone to take care of me every minute of every day."

"I'm not saying you're like that," Ben defended. "But what if I want to take care of you? Is that so bad?"

She knew he meant well, she really did. But Hobbie was a ghost of her past and she really wanted to rid herself of her own demons _alone_.

"Look, I know you were trying to help, and I appreciate it. But that was my battle. My fight. I needed to deal with Hobbie alone. I needed closure just like you had closure with Baz," she tried to explain.

"It didn't seem like there was any actual closure," he pointed.

"What are you talking about?"

"You never answered him."

"I told him to leave."

"But are you going back to him?"

"Where is this coming from?"

"Why are you dodging the question?"

"Jesus, Ben. _No,_ I'm not going back to Hobbie! You happy?" she exclaimed.

"Don't patronize me, Rey," he glared at her.

"It's hard talking to you like this when you're not thinking clearly," she shook her head, rubbing her temples.

"Neither are you!" he replied, pacing the room some more.

"Are you serious right now?! I've never been so clear with my thoughts and I one hundred percent do NOT want anything to do with Hobbie, ever."

"Well why not? He's the answer to all your wishes, isn't he?" he stopped in front of her.

Ben was able to climb the stairs long enough to hear most of Rey and Hobbie's conversation. He recalled Hobbie saying those words to Rey and she was hesitant to answer at first. Because of that, Ben started second guessing himself at that moment. Hobbie definitely knew how to play mind games with Ben's head too.

"What are you talking about?!" she looked at him incredulously.

The volume in Ben's voice died down, but the frustration and anger were still ever present.

"He's got the money. He's got the life you want. He's got the stability. You said it yourself. He offered you that," he said to her.

"But if it's being offered from someone I don't care deeply about, it's not my wish," she explained to him. "Not anymore."

"What if he's your only chance for the future you've always wanted?" Ben said crushingly, slumping down on a stool.

"What are you talking about?" Rey asked again calmly as she walked over to him.

She wanted to touch him, hold him, anything, but she was still trying to control her own emotions and trying not to break down. Touching him would be a bad idea right now for both of them. Ben propped his elbows on the counter, frustratingly rubbing his face with his hands, trying to get through this argument with as little damage as possible than there already was between them. The tables have shifted, his mind was being played by Hobbie and he was falling into that all too familiar dark abyss, the one he desperately wanted to lay to rest.

"Rey," he sighed. "I'm not who you think I am."

"What do you mean?" she was more confused than ever.

He placed his hands on the cold marble counter, trying to keep his emotions in check. He had been preparing himself for what he wanted to say to her all week, to pour his heart out. To start a future with her. But now, he suddenly doubted everything.

"I'm not someone who can give you what you want. Give you a stable life. Give you happiness. I'm just not."

"You don't know that," she said softly, this time choosing to cross the barrier and touched his arm.

"But I do," he bowed his head, patting her hand and placing it in his. "I'm not worth it. I'm just going to disappoint you. Hurt you. Make your life shit. I can't change. I won't change," he sadly admitted.

"Not even for me?" she was hanging on to a loose thread.

"I don't know…" he confessed. "I… I… I don't want to be the reason for someone's heartbreak. Especially not yours."

She remembered the night he told her that same thing when they were in their hotel suite watching a movie. So…. Did that mean she wasn't enough for him? Was she not worth fighting for?

"So you're saying I'm not worth it?" she looked up at him, crushed.

Ben took it offensively; his soft tone had changed again as he let her hand go.

"Don't put words into my mouth, Rey. I never said that," he looked back at her sternly.

"But you're implying it," rage was starting to build in her voice as well.

He shot up from his seat once more and paced around the room.

"What do you want me to say?! That I don't want to be single anymore and I want to take a chance and be in a relationship? A real one? Fall in love and live happily ever? And do all that shit with you because you're all I've been thinking about?!"

"Yes I want you to say all of that!" she flailed her arms in the air. "I want you to know how I feel too!"

"No, don't tell me how you feel, Rey. Please. This is hard enough."

"Why can't I?" she screamed. "Why can't I tell you that I feel the same way? That I've been feeling this way for a long time and you're the only person I've ever felt like this before?!"

"Stop it. Stop talking," he said through gritted teeth.

"Why is it wrong for me to choose you?!" she cried out.

"Because it just is!" he too flailed his arms in the air.

"It's not! Everything you just said, it's all I want, all I need. Why can't you just say it to me?!"

"I can't say any of that," he shook his head vigorously. "I'm sorry, I don't have another side. A good side. This is me. I'm a fucking disappointment. I can't give you what Hobbie can give you."

"I don't care what Hobbie can give me. I care what you give me. And you're not a disappointment. Not to me."

"I just can't do it, Rey…"

"Why can't you just take a chance?"

The desperation in her voice punched Ben in the gut.

"Because I don't want to hurt you!"

He knew he said it a bit too powerfully, but that was his biggest fear and he needed to let it out.

Rey went silent; her lips quivered, fighting a losing internal battle from crying. Ben stood in place, trying to calm himself down so he wouldn't scare her any more than he probably had already. Unfortunately, somewhere along the lines of being sad about what he said, Rey's mind instead turned on her defenses.

"That's the problem with you Ben, you don't take chances," she mumbled.

"Oh you're one to talk," he replied.

"I take more chances than you," she glared at him.

The hostility had come back.

"Oh really miss goody two shoes? You practically freaked out when Snoke wouldn't let us get an annulment the second we got back from Vegas."

"Ben, be real, that was a very different time and we were both scared."

"You were more scared."

"How dare you!"

"Admit it, Rey. You were so terrified that this wasn't going along with your god damn life plan. That I was a roadblock you needed to get rid of."

"Ben-"

"No, I'm not finished," he scowled. "I know what everyone's been saying about this. You and me. I know what you say to people too. That I'm not the ideal person you were supposed to end up with. I'm not a boring old stuck up prick who can promise you stability and shit."

"I never said that!"

"But you thought about it!"

"That was a long time ago. Before you and I got to know each other!"

"You still thought of it though."

"Oh and you don't think I know about you? Mister 'I don't want to be in a committed relationship' so you can have no responsibilities?!"

"That's not why I didn't want to be in a relationship at first!"

"It's true though. You said it yourself! You're afraid of commitment, of having responsibilities. That's why you 'stopped playing the game'," she mocked his words. "You can't even hold down a decent job because you don't want the responsibility."

"You better watch it," he warned her.

"In fact, you can't even keep a simple job with your father. The one person who is biologically wired to love you, and even he couldn't deal with your bullshit."

"Oh and you're supposed to be saint?!" he blew up.

"What? No!"

"You go around saying you don't want to get hurt, you want this perfect life. But you grab on to the nearest thing that will offer you stability - a jerk like Hobbie, or a loser like me… just because you're so _desperate_ not to be alone."

Rey slapped him across the face.

This time her tears fell. The room went silent.

Ben realized what he had just said. Everything that was just spoken. At that moment he wished nothing more but to take it all back.

"I'm sorry," he breathed.

"Me too," she whispered.

This sorry wasn't a peace offering.

It was a goodbye.

Ben slowly walked past her and grabbed his keys. He headed for the door. Before stepping out he turned to her.

"I told you not to bet on me, Rey."

She wiped her tears and gathered whatever courage she had left to look at him.

"I thought you were worth it... I guess we were both wrong."

* * *

**A/N: _*Sigh* I'm sorry. But... Nope, that's all. I'm sorry. This is how the story needs to go. Please don't hate me! I promise you, it's still worth the read to the very end!_**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Things Will Never Be The Same
> 
> "Are you going to talk to Ben?"
> 
> "I don't know. I think we said all that we needed today..."
> 
> "You don't know that."
> 
> "Everyone says things they don't mean when they're angry sometimes."


	26. Things Will Never Be The Same

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi I just want to make some things clear before you read on... This is a love story loosely based on the movie with the same name. In the movie they have a roadblock chock full of angst to keep the leads from getting together. I'm taking my own spin on that, ergo why ch 25 was full of drama. I'm not going to sugar coat it, the next few chapters will be rocky. BUT there will be an HEA at the very end. PROMISE!
> 
> The direction of the story will go as Poe said it best in the earlier chapters, "Now, now, you know how this goes. First the bad news to get everyone sad, then the good news to get everyone happy again." There's a light at the end of the tunnel for Ben and Rey. They just need to weather the storm for a bit.
> 
> I hope you stick around til the end. And I'm sorry for all the coming angst...

* * *

**~XXVI. Things Will Never Be The Same~**

"So, what are we watching tonight? Comedy? Action? Thriller?" Poe asked aloud. "Or should we go old school and watch Disney? You know how much I love my Goofy Movie!"

"That explains why you're such a child!" Finn teased him.

It was movie night at Rose's apartment and after a long week – especially the previous weekend that Poe had – he wanted nothing more than to have a relaxing night in with friends.

"I've got the second 'It' movie if you guys haven't seen it yet," Rose hollered from the kitchen as she prepared some snacks for everyone.

Finn was about to agree when their other friend spoke up.

"No!" Poe immediately shot that down. "I want something lighthearted and easy tonight, nothing that will cause me nightmares," he demanded.

"Oh come on, Pennywise isn't that scary!" Finn tried to reason. "It's just a clown."

"Yeah a clown of death!" Poe shuddered at the thought. "Unless you two want to take care of me and my night terrors tonight, I suggest we pick a different movie!" he commanded.

"Fine, no scary movies, ya big baby," Rose stuck her tongue at him from the kitchen.

"I have the newest Jumanji movie on Blu-ray," Finn held the disc in the air.

"Oh man I heard it was super funny. Put it on!" Poe hopped on the couch, beer in hand.

Rose stepped into her living room with two bowls of popcorn.

"Well I will agree with you on one thing, Poe," she said. "I want to have a relaxing evening too."

"Agreed," Finn chimed in.

He queued up the movie on Rose's media player and hopped over to the couch to sandwich himself between his girlfriend and best guy friend.

"Ahhh! When was the last time we had movie night?" she said excitedly.

"Too long!" Poe exclaimed.

"I wish Rey were here though. It hasn't been just the four of us in forever!" Finn said.

"I know, I miss our little family," Rose pouted.

"Hey, let her be happy," Poe said. "Even though she and Ben deny it so much," he joked.

"Amen to that, brother!" Finn agreed.

"Seriously, I mean I know they're being so coy about it, but when it's becoming so obvious when will they just downright admit it?" Rose asked the guys.

"Who knows with them," Finn laughed with this girlfriend.

"Which is why Rey needs to spend time with Ben tonight and not with us," Poe said. "They need to finally get together already for reals. Plus, with their no alcohol rule it wouldn't be much fun of a movie night if Rey doesn't want to drink!"

"No, it would not," Finn chuckled.

"I'll drink to that!" Rose cheered.

The three friends laughed and clinked beer bottles. Once the opening credits rolled, they settled comfortably in their seats and proceeded to watch the flick.

Halfway through their movie, there was a knock on the door. Rose paused the film.

"Wouldn't it be great if that was the pizza we should've ordered an hour ago?" Finn joked. "I don't think all this popcorn and beer will get me full for the night."

"I'll go order one right now. Poe can you see who's at the door?" Rose got up and fetched her phone in the kitchen.

Finn shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth and brought their empty beer bottles to the trash bin. Per request, Poe lazily got up from the couch and walked to the door. Upon opening it, he was surprised to see their other friend.

"Oh hey Rey! What's-"

He was at a loss for words. Rey was standing at the door with puffy red eyes, makeup running, and fresh tears already streaming down her tired cheeks.

"Holy shit come here," he grabbed his friend and pulled her in to a much needed embrace.

"Hey dude, who was at the door?" Finn hollered from the other room.

Poe pulled Rey inside the apartment and continued to hold on to her in his arms. She was trembling. Finn heard the door shut and looked over. When he noticed who his friend was hugging, he jumped up and ran over to be by Rey's side.

"What's going on Peanut, are you okay?"

Poe shot him a weary look; they knew she wasn't ok. She was far from it.

Finn gently touched her hair, hugging Rey's backside, the two men sandwiching her in desperate comfort.

"Pizza's on the way! Who was at the-"

Poe and Finn let go of their friend in time for Rose to see what was happening. One look into her best friend's eyes and Rose welled up. She hurriedly ran over to Rey, a new set of tears on her own face and light sobs mewling around the quiet apartment as the two women embraced. No one knew exactly what was going on. All they knew was that Rey was broken.

~.~.~.~

"And he left, just like that?" Rose was shocked.

"It took some effort, but yeah, I finally managed to get him to leave."

Her friends let the words they just heard from Rey sink in. She had quite an afternoon.

"Damn. The nerve of Hobbie to show up unannounced and talk to you like that!" Finn's words were boiling with rage.

"I'm surprised Ben didn't break his neck or something," Poe grumbled. "I sure as hell would've liked a crack at that fuck."

"I told him not to intervene," Rey said between sniffles.

"You should've let him. That jerk deserves what's coming to him," Finn scoffed.

"I didn't want him to get involved," Rey said. "I needed to deal with Hobbie on my own."

After a good cry surrounded by her best friends, Rey settled on the couch with Rose; Poe and Finn sitting on the floor in front of them. Rey shared the events that took place merely an hour ago – her relaxing day that turned its heels with Hobbie's unexpected appearance and her screaming match with Ben. It was a lot for her friends to take in. After Hobbie left and her fight with Ben ended, she too didn't want to be alone in the loft they shared so she left their empty apartment and went straight to Rose's.

"Rey can I ask you something?"

"Sure Rose."

"You're not thinking of getting back with Hobbie are you?" her friend speculated. They were all wondering that.

"Of course not," she shook her head. "He told me he changed but he was still acting like he was controlling me. The man's never going to change his ways."

"We've been trying to tell you that for three years!" Poe said incredulously.

"Dude, come on!" Finn punched him in the arm.

"Ow! What?!" Poe said to Finn.

"Be any more considerate!" Finn frowned at his male friend.

"I am!" Poe defended.

"No, it's fine. You guys were right," Rey admitted. "I guess I just needed to find out for myself."

"Sorry Peanut," Finn patted her knee for comfort.

"Better late than never, right?" Poe touched her shoulder.

Rey sadly nodded at him.

"So… What about you and Ben?" Rose asked her.

Rey fiddled with the tissue in her hand. That was a good question. _What about her and Ben?_ Clearly words were exchanged. Did any of them mean it? Who knows. But it still hurt them both. She honestly didn't know where they stood now.

"There is no 'me and Ben', you guys. How many times-"

"Oh cut the bullshit, Rey," Poe scoffed.

"Hey man, seriously knock it off," Finn was starting to become impatient with Poe's comments.

"No, I won't," Poe shook his head in frustration. He got up and started pacing around.

"Poe, please calm down," Rose was hoping not to make the situation any more stressful for Rey.

"I can't, Rose. I just can't. I'm tired of being quiet," he uttered angrily.

"What are you talking about?" Rey asked him.

"Look Rey, I love you, we all do. But I'm the only one who can say that I know both you and Ben better than Rose or Finn or Hux or Phasma because you're _both_ my best friends," he stated. "It doesn't matter how this all started, and technicalities aside… You and Ben had something. You can't deny that. We all saw it."

Finn and Rose knew they couldn't chide Poe this time. He was speaking the truth. One of their friends had to break the silence. Hopefully it wasn't too much for Rey to handle.

"You're right," she stared blankly in front of them.

Her three friends exchanged surprised glances.

"Y-you're damn right, we're right," Poe didn't really know what to say. They all assumed she'd fight back.

There was no more denying it. Time had run out. Rey literally had nothing else to lose.

"We did have something," she began. "But we were too stubborn to say anything. We kissed, we fought, we made up… but our insecurities got the best of us. And we said words we didn't mean. But we said them, and we can't take it back now."

She sadly chuckled to herself. She and Ben had come a long way.

"Rey…" Rose started, but she didn't know how to continue.

Poe was going to say something, but he was also at a loss for words. Instead, he patted Rey's arm in sympathy.

"I'm sorry for the harshness, kiddo."

"I needed it, Poe," she sadly smiled at him.

"Peanut," Finn said sadly. "Tell us what we can do to help you."

"There's nothing really you can do," she admitted.

"Do you want to go somewhere? Clear your mind?" Finn suggested.

"No," she shook her head. "Just be here for me," she told her friends.

"Of course, girl. We're here for you always," Rose hugged her.

"Are you going to talk to Ben?" Finn wondered.

"I don't know. I think we said all that we needed today…"

"You don't know that. It was a spur of the moment thing," Rose argued.

"Everyone says things they don't mean when they're angry sometimes," Poe tried to reason.

"Yeah, but deep down, some of what you say is the truth."

"You don't know that," Rose reiterated to her friend.

"Guys," she stopped them. "Don't tell me that we can work it out. Just… don't. Please. Not tonight," she silently begged her friends.

They looked at her remorsefully, one by one slowly nodding at her request.

"It was always supposed to be this way. We weren't meant to fall in love, we were only meant to live together," she reminded herself out loud. "And in seven days, this will all be over. For good."

Rey allowed new tears to fall from what she just said but didn't want to cry about it. It was the truth. She couldn't argue with that.

"Is that what you want, Rey?" Finn said. He asked her that same question on the night she called him when she was on her 'almost date' with Ben.

She looked at her friend and sadly smiled.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Finn."

They were all about to respond but couldn't find it in their hearts add on to her grief. Tonight, they'll let her be. Tonight, they'll be her support, not her voice of reason.

Rose suggested they all spend the night at her place, for obvious reasons. Shortly after their talk, Rey excused herself to splash water on her face and clean her makeup off. Poe, Finn and Rose tidied up the living room, declaring movie night to be over.

"Did you catch the part where she said they kissed?" Finn asked the gang while they put their beer bottles in the trash.

Rose and Poe lightly chuckled, acknowledging his question.

"Oh yeah," Rose nodded.

"The one time she actually shares something juicy with us and we can't pry," Poe joked.

"Well she definitely has gotten better at admitting her feelings, no matter how subtle they are," Finn pointed out. "So that's something good to take out of this."

"I guess," Poe said.

"And you know what? As sad as this was for her and Ben to fight, this was completely different than when she and Hobbie broke up," Finn shared.

"What are you talking about? She moped over him for two weeks here," Rose reminded them.

"Yeah, but she moped because she was sad that things didn't work out with a promising relationship," Finn argued. "Or so she thought it was promising," he got them to laugh a little.

"Right," Poe agreed. "And this time she's moping because she's heartbroken over someone she actually cares about. Not just a relationship. If they even called what they had one."

"I guess you're right," Rose realized Finn and Poe's words were true. "Shit, she really did like him, didn't she?"

"I'm thinking it was love," Finn shared. " _'Like'_ doesn't produce this many tears."

The three friends nodded in agreement.

"I don't think she'll admit it to us, but I'm sure she still loves him," Poe said. "And I'm almost positive Ben feels the same too. Even after all this."

Poe, Finn and Rose stood for a moment in the kitchen, taking in the realization of the things they shared with one another.

"You know what she told me when I was in the bathroom with her earlier?" Rose said. "She's looking forward to things going back to normal. Always trying to find the bright side of things… Our little Rey of sunshine, huh?"

They all sadly smiled.

"But that's the thing…" Finn trailed. "Things will never be the same after this. There's nothing any of us can do to mend her broken heart."

"Unfortunately, you're right bud." Poe sighed.

Rose nodded sadly in agreement.

"I hate that Hobbie messed up another one of Rey's relationships. That gets me the most," Rose grunted.

"I know," Finn agreed with her. "He wasn't even a part of this one either, but that asshole still played with Rey's weaknesses."

"Ben's too probably. Fucking jerk," Poe scoffed, agreeing with Finn's remark.

"I really hope this is the last we see of him," Rose said.

They continued to clean up in silence for a moment.

"Is our Peanut going to be okay?" Finn asked his friends.

"Only time will tell, babe," Rose rubbed her boyfriend's arm. She then turned to Poe. "Is Ben going to be okay?"

Poe grabbed a beer from Rose's refrigerator and took a gulp before answering.

"You know, of all my guy friends, Ben is the most decent one I know," Poe said.

"Hurtful," Finn feigned upset. Poe and Rose chuckled.

"Jokes aside, if anyone was perfect for Ben, it's Rey," he shared. "They bring out the best in one another. They balance each other out. It's like they're two sides of the same coin. They were meant for each other. I know he's hurting too... But knowing Ben, the only person that could fix him is the one who hurt him. But he hurt Rey too. So, I don't know if he'll be okay. I don't know if Rey will be either. I just really wished things worked out for them and they stayed together."

They all nodded in agreement.

Little did they know Rey was on the other side of the wall listening to Poe's confession.

~.~.~.~

Ben returned to the loft late that Friday night. After his nightmare of a fight with Rey, to which he had regretted from the moment it started, he found solace at Hux and Phasma's place. It was as he expected the night to go. He shared what had happened – the closeness they started to show the past week to the sudden appearance of her ex-fiancé, to the nasty words exchanged between him and Rey before he stormed off.

Phasma chastised him for being stupid and for leaving Rey alone.

"Ben, you're an idiot you know that?"

"Thanks for pointing that out, Phas, I didn't know," he said sarcastically.

Meanwhile, Hux consoled him for messing up and possibly losing her.

"I'm sorry, Ben. I know how special she was to you."

"Yeah well, since when did I ever deserve anything special in my life?" Ben sighed.

"So what are you going to do now?" Phasma asked him.

"What do you mean? There's nothing else to do. It's over."

"That's only if you want it to be," she said.

"I messed up once again," Ben confessed. "The best thing to do is just go our separate ways and move on."

"You really think that's the best solution?" Hux asked.

Did Ben think it was the best idea? Of course not. Did he want to do it? Hell no. But he was still tortured by what Hobbie said and how their fight went down, that his demons were pretty much speaking for him. _Rey is better off without you. You don't deserve her._

"She's better off without me," he echoed his fears.

Phasma of course didn't like it, but she knew he was vulnerable, so she didn't push. And while Hux wanted to point out that Ben was in fact doing what Rey said he would do (giving up), he decided against making his friend feel even worse (if that were even possible). Reluctantly his friends accepted his decision. No matter how wrong they thought it was.

It was the first night since they started living together that Rey did not come home. Ben was so used to having her around or anyone for that matter. This large one-bedroom loft apartment was too big for just one person to live. He realized while standing next to his kitchen island how empty his place was. How much of a presence Rey had been in the loft and in his life. Without her there, he had never felt so alone.

Ben woke up the next morning from barely a few houses of forced sleep. He started his day the best he could, though it wasn't easy. Everywhere he looked and everything around him at the loft got him drifting his thoughts to think of Rey. The smock she used when she cooked in the kitchen, the mug she claimed as her own in the cupboard (a Mickey Mouse shaped cup from Disneyland – which he promised to take her someday), and a throw pillow on the couch that smelled of her shampoo because she laid on that pouf every time she rested on the sofa. It drove him insane. He still felt miserable with the offending words he said to her the day before. Did he mean any of it? Maybe. But he never meant to say anything to hurt her. If he could take it all back he would, but he knew that wasn't an option. He missed her. He missed her so terribly much.

By the time 6 PM rolled around, he was still alone in the loft. They weren't going to have their first date. That he concluded the night before when he was talking to his friends. Though a part of him wished she'd come back - a part of him held on to that hope. But hope wasn't usually on his side so even though he waited it out until the very last second, he was forced to cancel their dinner reservations and forget about the magical evening he had planned for them. After getting off the phone with the restaurant, Ben shut the blinds, turned off all the lights and retired to the bedroom. _Alone_.

Everyone who knew him was right about one thing. For as long as he can remember he had always wanted no commitment and no responsibility. It's what he was always chasing for the past thirty years - _privacy_. More like seclusion.

That night he realized that the solitude he craved suddenly wasn't what he wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Our Last Night
> 
> "I'll head out to the balcony. Give you some space."
> 
> "Ben?" she blurted. "Stay with me? Just for today."
> 
> A faint smile flashed briefly on his face before Ben tossed his book on the kitchen counter and walked over to Rey.
> 
> "I'm not going anywhere."


	27. Our Last Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: *Spoiler Alert* If you're one of the few folks who have yet to watch Avengers Endgame (what's taking you so long?!), I'm going to spoil the final scene in this chapter. Fair warning! There's also a brief intimate scene, but don't worry I kept it T rated. It's barely a paragraph long if anything. Hmm... I think that's all the warnings. Oh, also, sorry for the emotional roller coaster in this chapter...

* * *

**~XXVII. Our Last Night~**

Rey eventually returned to the loft that Sunday evening. She didn't show up alone though; Poe accompanied her. She wasn't ready to face him yet and needed some moral support. Poe volunteered immediately to take her home and went so far as to text Ben and asked him to not talk to Rey, per her request. At least not the night that she got back. Plus, he wanted to see how his other friend was holding up.

When they arrived at the loft, Ben excused himself and sat at the balcony. He wasn't ready to face her either. Rey stepped inside with Poe in tow, relieved to see that he wasn't in the immediate vicinity. She spotted him outside, and they exchanged quick glances. Fighting her emotions, she excused herself to use the restroom.

Poe strode to the balcony to check on his other friend. Ben was expecting him to reprimand him of his poor actions, especially the way he had made Rey cry. Hux and Phasma did it, he wouldn't blame Poe if he wanted to give him a piece of his mind as well. He deserved the criticism. But his jokester of a friend surprised him and instead asked if he was alright. Leave it to Poe to be the most caring of all. This gesture was new for Ben that someone was actually asking about his well-being instead of pointing the finger at him.

"It's been a very lonely weekend," was Ben's answer.

"I'll bet," Poe said.

Ben glanced at his oldest friend. He wanted to talk to anyone really and let his frustrations out, but the only person he really wanted was Rey.

"Did you have something you want to say to me?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Poe was confused.

As nice as Poe was being, Ben was used to having put his defenses up. It was only a matter of time before Poe would start lecturing him.

"Well, everyone else has something to say to me about this mess I made. Go ahead, I can take it," Ben prepared himself for the criticism once again.

"All I ask is that you take care of her the next couple of days," Poe requested. "I know you two aren't on the best terms right now, but she's fragile. And you are too. Don't do anything else that would break either of you into pieces."

He was… _shocked_. Poe wasn't going to put blame on him? Of all people he would think Poe would hit him hardest because Rey was also his best friend.

"What?" Poe wondered why Ben looked at him funny.

"Nothing, it's just…" Ben sighed. "Thanks for not you know… ragging on me."

"Oh rest assured I think you're both stupid," Poe got Ben to chuckle. "But I'm not _that_ mean. I know you two are hurting. I'm going to try my best to be there for you guys."

"You could probably stay here," Ben suggested. That wasn't such a bad idea. They could use a middleman. "Why don't you stay here? Be the neutral party so we can co-exist."

"Sorry buddy," Poe shook his head. "As great of an idea as that sounds, you two need to be alone. Whether it's together or not, no one else should meddle."

"We can't do this alone, Poe. Even for just the week. We're both emotionally unstable. It's too much to handle," he confessed.

"I get that, but you need to just be alone, be with your thoughts. Rey too."

"I don't know, man. It's easier said than done."

Ben fiddled with the lose strand of thread on the cushion of his seat. He wasn't sure if he'd ever think or see clearly after this. Then Poe did the unexpected again. He patted Ben on the shoulder and consoled him some more. No one ever did this for Ben. This was all new to him. And coming from Poe? Who would've thought.

"The way I see it, Ben, you're very clouded in the head right now. So it's okay to not know what you're supposed to do next or even what you want to do," Poe explained. "But just remember one thing, buddy. Your intellect may be confused, but your emotions will never lie to you. Just don't be afraid to listen."

Ben gawked at his friend, surprised that his offer was turned down, but most importantly was impressed once again at his words.

"When did Poe Dameron become such a decent human being?" Ben lightly joked.

Poe laughed and smacked his shoulder.

"When his two best friends showed him there was more to life if you have someone to share it with."

He understood what he meant. It was just too hard to make things right again. With that, Poe stepped back inside to make sure Rey had settled back in as comfortable as possible. And just like that he left, leaving Ben and Rey once again in the awkward state they were in six months ago.

~.~.~.~

The days went by slow, yet too fast all at once. On Monday, Rey did everything she could to avoid Ben. She had gone back to waking up extremely early and coming home super late. Ben made sure to avoid her as well, camping out in the living room when she was hiding in the bedroom and made himself comfortable in the balcony when he knew she'd be in the kitchen. Tuesday was the same routine. Again, no exchange of words. Silence filled the loft for those two days.

On Wednesday, two days before their court date, they both realized that this would all be over soon. Not that it wasn't already on their minds the night she came back. But this reality hit deeper. Rey came home at around 7 PM, exhaustion written all over her face. Ben was avoiding her, taking up space in the balcony and was working out on his exercise bike.

Not only did they avoid speaking to one another for the past few days, they've also avoided glancing at each other's direction. Rey walked to the refrigerator intent on grabbing a water bottle and a piece of fruit to hold her over until she had the energy to make dinner. She took the bottle in her hand and twisted the cap off, ready to take a swig. For a brief moment, her eyes wandered before titling her head back to drink her beverage, and it had caught Ben's traveling eyes when he had randomly looked up from changing the next song on his phone. For the first time in five days they saw each other. Stared into each other's eyes. Saw the pain. The hurt. The _longing_. But it was too much for Rey. Forgoing her water and snack, she closed the refrigerator door and quickly retired to the bedroom. She never came back outside for dinner that night.

Rey anticipated Thursday to be a very stressful day. Because it was the day before their court appearance, she had planned to take Friday off meaning she needed to get a ton of work finished before the end of her short work week. To top it all off, she had barely any sleep or any energy in her to stay focused. She wasn't looking too good by the time lunch rolled around.

"Andor, you alright? Looking kind of pale." Lando stopped by her office on the way to his own and noticed she hadn't clocked out for lunch.

She glanced up from resting her head on her desk to her boss.

"Sorry. I haven't had much sleep the past few days," Rey said as she tried to compose herself. She tried to focus on her computer screen, but even Lando took notice of her off behavior.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day, you deserve some time off," he offered.

"No, sir, it's alright. I'm already taking time off tomorrow and Monday is Labor Day. Let me try to get as much work done today," she tried to dismiss him and grabbed the top stack of papers in front of her.

Her office was, to put in light terms, an organized mess. Rey hadn't been focusing too much on her work that week, given that her problems at home were taking up most of the space in her mind. Okay, _all_ of the space in her mind. She knew it was bad when someone else at the office noticed her lackluster exertion, her boss no less.

"Rey," he stopped her from opening the folder in front of her. "Go home. You need to rest," he insisted.

"But-"

"Jess and Jannah are more than capable of taking over for a few days. And I promise Snap won't touch your contract with Skywalker Enterprises while you're gone. We can hold the fort down until you come back. Give me some credit, I'm the CEO aren't I?" he chuckled.

"Are you sure? It's barely noon?" she glanced at the clock above her door.

"Yes, now go! Besides, I don't want my new Development and Outreach Director coming in with eyebags on Tuesday when she gets introduced to the board," he winked.

"I guess you're right… wait… what?!" she suddenly jolted awake.

Lando let out a hearty laugh, wondering how soon she'd catch on to his words.

"You heard me. You earned this, Rey. Starting next week, the position is yours. Congratulations!"

Once she processed what her boss had revealed, she immediately thanked him. Jess and Jannah somehow already knew (Lando must have told them moments before) and they rushed into her office to congratulate Rey for the well-deserved promotion. Promptly, they ordered her to take Lando's offer and go home, as they too were worried that she may be getting sick. Without much effort in fighting, Rey eventually accepted her early dismissal and left.

When she made it out of her building, she stood at the entrance and breathed out a relieving sigh. Finally, she thought. Finally, her hard work had paid off. Finally, she was being noticed. _Finally_. She thought for a moment whether to celebrate just a little for her achievement. Maybe stop by Poe's bar? Meet up with Finn or Rose for lunch? When she dug inside her purse for her phone and tapped her contacts list, the name she immediately stopped on was his. The first and only person she wanted to share this news with was Ben. Suddenly, the joy of her news had mellowed down. Fighting any emotions, she locked her phone and shook off the idea of going out to celebrate. It wouldn't be fun if she didn't get to be with who she really wanted around. Right now, she just wanted to go home and curl up in bed.

Lando wasn't kidding when he noticed Rey's pallor. She skipped dinner the night before, and to be fair wasn't in the right state of mind to eat breakfast, let alone have a cup of coffee. Maybe on top of all this she actually was getting sick. _Does lovesick count?_ Either way, her emotional drainage had caught up to her body and the walk upstairs to their floor drained her more than usual. As soon as she stepped inside the apartment, Rey's legs almost gave out. Though she somehow managed to slump herself down at the breakfast table nearby.

Physically and emotionally spent, Rey panted heavily, folded her arms on the tabletop and let her forehead fall forward. Her sleepless nights were catching on and her eyes felt so heavy.

"Hey… are you alright?" a soft voice stirred her from her almost slumber.

She brought her head up and was a bit startled to see him sitting at the computer desk, mid bite from the ham and cheese sandwich in his hands.

One look at her and Ben saw the lifelessness in her eyes. Concern took over, never mind the awkward air between them, and he went over to kneel at her side.

"Whoa, Rey. You're pretty pale," he gently spoke. "Are you getting sick?"

She couldn't keep a long stare, especially not with him. She looked down at her feet, heels still on from her morning at work, wishing she had taken them off because her feet were killing her on top of everything else.

"Something like that," she managed to say to him.

He understood. Of course he did. He was feeling… something like that as well.

"Haven't had much to eat. Body is low on energy," she shared.

He felt so guilty for being the reason for her skipping dinner last night. It was his fault. He knew that. He couldn't help it, though. He wanted to get just one quick look at her last night because he missed her so. But just as he stole his chance, she glanced at him at the same time, thus ruining the rest of her evening.

Ben stood up, walked to the desk and came back with his plate.

"Eat up. Please?" he offered her half of his sandwich.

She fiddled with her thumbs, debating if she should let them be this friendly. She didn't want to get carried away like the night before. Her stomach overpowered her thoughts when she felt another grumble.

"Thanks," she said weakly and took a bite.

Ben nodded, getting up to allow her some personal space. He fetched her some water and placed it on the table beside the plate. He then walked over to the computer desk and picked up his book.

"I'll head out to the balcony. Give you some space. But please, if you're not feeling well let me at least take you to the doctor or something, alright?"

She sluggishly nodded, trying to process everything now that she had a little bit of food in her stomach.

He awkwardly waved and took a few steps towards the living room.

"Ben," she suddenly blurted. Her voice wasn't frail anymore.

He spun around, a little too eagerly, but he didn't care at this point.

"Stay with me? Just for today."

They both knew what that meant. This was the only day left. Six months wasted and leave it to the last day that one of them asked for the other to stay.

A faint smiled flashed briefly on his face before Ben tossed his book on the kitchen counter and walked over to Rey.

He offered his hand. She wasn't sure what he was doing, but honestly Rey didn't care at this point. She gave her hand to him and he gestured for her to stand up. When she did, he pulled her in and embraced her. She fell into his arms naturally, allowing him to hold her tight. She needed this hug, this connection with him. She just needed him.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered into her ear.

_Just for today_ , he said to himself, _I'll show you how much I care_.

~.~.~.~

This unspoken agreement to ignore their current predicament eased the air between them for the rest of the afternoon into the evening. The two coexisted in their loft _together_. This last night was theirs and only theirs to have. Nothing else mattered.

Rey changed into comfier clothes, a pair of yoga pants and a button up flannel shirt and joined Ben in the kitchen. He was taking out some familiar ingredients and utensils. She didn't need to ask that he was craving some baked goods.

He caught her attention and shrugged at her, offering to bake Pizookies again. The last time they did that, Ben enjoyed it immensely. He wanted to just relive their happy moments spent together. She lightly smiled at him for the first time in a week. Like before, she walked over to a drawer, pulled out a smock and nudged his hip. They silently worked together to make the sugary dessert once again.

Rey caught on to what Ben was doing after he placed an order for a pizza and walked outside to the balcony to remove the grills to light up his fire pit. He was reenacting their best times together. It was sweet. Exactly what she needed. She wanted to remember only their good times after all this.

They ate in silence once their pizza arrived, unsure if this mutual peace needed words.

"How's your work coming along?"

Apparently, Ben thought the silence wasn't enough. This of course startled Rey. She wasn't expecting anything more but simple pleasantries and sitting together throughout the evening. Well, better a simple chat than awkward silence.

"Um… it's good."

"You sure about that?" he looked at her quizzically.

"Y-yeah," she said. He noticed her hesitation. Was it really a good time to bring up her promotion?

"You know you can tell me anything," he assured her. "Is Snap harassing you? My mom overworking you? I'm sorry if she is."

"No, she's fine. And Snap's not harassing me… Actually, he's probably going to stop with the harassing altogether."

"Did he finally get canned?" Ben wondered.

"No," she said. "I uh… I got the promotion."

"Rey that's great! Congratulations!" Ben was genuinely happy for her.

He knew that it might have to take some convincing, but he really was pleased that she was finally getting the recognition she deserved.

"Thanks," she softly spoke.

"Hey, you worked so hard for that, I never doubted you'd get it," he encouraged.

For a brief moment, they glanced at one another and smiled.

As if on the same page, after their 'bonfire' they settled on the couch. Rey wasted no time and snuggled next to Ben from the start. He didn't mind of course, he wanted to hold her for as long as he had left.

They watched the last of Ben's Avengers movies: Infinity War and Endgame. Rey didn't realize the last installments were much longer than the first two, but she didn't mind. She actually liked these movies, both because they were fun to watch and because it was something Ben had introduced her to; something they shared together.

The penultimate scene of Endgame had finally come. Steve Rogers AKA Captain America, the superhero Rey had started to like over Thor (partially because he reminded her so much of Ben), had come back to the present time as an older man. He chose to live out his life in an alternate timeline, thus deciding to pass his shield on to his best friend Sam. His friend had noticed a ring on his finger and inquired the story behind it. The final scene flashed to another time. An older time. It was revealed that Steve finally got the chance to dance with his one true love Peggy.

That scene tugged at Rey's heartstrings. Sure, there were plenty of other intimate moments from the other movies they watched, but this hit home. Probably because Rey realized that her chance to turn back time with Ben would never happen like the two characters on the screen.

That scene tugged at Ben's core as well. Suddenly he realized that he too wanted to dance with Rey. So, he did just that.

He gently nudged her to separate their bodies for a moment. She was a bit startled, though it made sense since the movie was over. But she was even more confused when he stood up. Instead of walking over to the TV to possibly put on another flick, he gently took her hand and pulled her up, guiding her to an open space in the living room. He stopped in their tracks and turned to her. She was still unsure of what he was doing, but trusted him nonetheless. With her hand still in his, he brought it up and rested her palm on his chest. He pulled her into a tight embrace, wrapped his other arm along the small of her back, and began to slowly sway in light circles with her.

_He wants to dance with me_ , she realized. Her heart fluttered. She rested her head on his shoulder more comfortably and savored this moment for as long as she could.

The music from the credits were coming to an end, they had probably been 'dancing' for almost ten minutes. When the movie concluded and brought the screen back to the main menu, they stopped their movements but kept their connection. He buried his face in the crooks of her neck the entire time, taking in her scent - a slight hint of vanilla - knowing that he wouldn't get to inhale that familiar trace for much longer. Something took over him and he kissed the softest part of her skin, a small gasp escaped from her lips. He decided he liked that reaction and continued to show her what he wanted, or rather who he wanted – her. He dragged his lips across her jaw, feeling her tense up and relax all at once. Then he rested his forehead on hers.

"Rey," he drawled out her name in pleasure.

"Ben," she purred wantonly.

She decided she couldn't wait for him to make the move, so she pressed her lips to his desperately. It didn't take much effort for retort as Ben eagerly kissed back, brushing his tongue on her lower lip to ask for access to deepen the passion.

All bets were off, they decided this long ago. He was intent to explore more of this desire for her, running his hands down her waist to her thighs, and in one fell swoop lifting her to wrap her legs around him. She didn't hesitate to assist, locking herself to his hips pressing herself against his wanting core. Ben started to walk towards the hall, the bedroom his intended destination. But as their kisses grew deeper and she started nibbling on his lower lip, the trek to the room seemed almost impossible. He settled for perching Rey on top of the couch, steadying her a bit, not letting her fall while she still had her legs wrapped around him. They explored more of each other's bodies together, hands touching every naked surface, wanting so much to do this ever since their last time in Vegas. But this time they weren't inebriated. This time they'll revel in the moment.

Rey tugged at his shirt, growling for him to rip it off. He obeyed her command and shed the fabric, letting her drink in his exposed torso for a second. Her lustful eyes wandered across his toned chest and her soft touch almost sent him over. He hissed, jealous that she was still clothed, and began to unbutton her shirt. He caught her black brazier, the one he knew all too well, and placed his lips on her collarbone, kissing the new open flesh for his pleasure. Ben returned to Rey's neck, making his way to her already swollen lips. This was right. This was real. This was what they wanted all along.

But the universe wouldn't allow it.

_*Riiiiing*_

_*Riiiiing*_

"Urghh," Ben groaned against Rey's neck. That did it for her. She moaned into his ear, which only made him kiss her even harder.

They tried to ignore it a second time, but the piercing shrill beckoned for their attention.

Ben would've ignored it, screen the call and shut off his phone to return to his session with her, but that ringtone was set specifically for the person on the other line. Rey did the same on her phone, knowing quite well who the caller was. They paused, unwillingly, and stared hazily in each other's eyes.

"Wait here," he whispered. She nodded slowly.

He kissed her once more on the lips before dragging his feet to the kitchen counter to answer his phone.

"Yes?" he gritted his teeth.

" _Ben! It's Sabine. Hope I didn't wake you."_

"No, it's fine, Sabine. What's up?" he tried to hide his evident frustration. He turned to Rey, an apologetic look on his face, promising to end the call as soon as he could.

" _I'm just calling to remind you of you and Ms. Andor's court appearance tomorrow. You should have received a packet in the mail. Did you two fill it out yet?"_

"No, we figured not to touch it until tomorrow."

The week prior, a manila folder was delivered to them, the contents in the folder were the official papers to request an annulment. Now a week ago, neither felt the need to open it. It was as if not opening the envelope gave them a spark of hope that maybe things would work out between them. And a week ago, it may have been the case. But now, it was the most complicated thing in the world for them.

" _I suppose it is better to fill it out with your attorneys, should you have any questions."_

"Yeah, sure," Ben replied. Of course he knew the real reason why they didn't open it.

" _Just please don't forget to bring all the paperwork."_

"I won't forget, Sabine," he assured her. He walked over to the desk, lifted the folder in the air and glanced at it as if she were in front of him and he was showing her he had the documents.

Ben didn't intend to open the envelope. He only lifted it up on instinct because it was the topic of conversation with his attorney. But when Rey glanced over and saw that he was holding the sacred documents, her mind had scrambled into overdrive. Immediately, she realized that she and Ben were going so far into something that essentially would end in a much tougher heartbreak than they anticipated. She couldn't do that to herself or Ben. She frantically shook her head and hopped off the couch, covering her exposed chest with her undone shirt.

Ben heard her get off the couch and swung his head around, confused with her actions. When they locked eyes that was when Rey's full senses came back and her emotions took over. Tears already started to form and spill on her cheeks. One last look at him, she pursed her lips and shook her head, making a beeline to the bedroom.

Ben immediately ended his call, placed his phone and envelope down and ran to the start of the hallway. He missed her by a hair, catching the door to the bedroom close, hearing the lock click, and watching the light from underneath the door turn off. Feeling he shouldn't go after her, he understood that the night was over.

Rey slammed the door shut and locker herself in. She couldn't trust herself not to let Ben inside to try and talk with her or continue what they started. She shut off the lights and crawled into bed, what she had planned to do when she first got home. This was for the better, she kept telling herself that in between sobs. She and Ben were over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Six Months Later
> 
> "Mr. Pryde, before you are dismissed, do you have any last words about the couple?"
> 
> "You honor... They've coexisted and complimented each other so well; one might even think they've been married for years. I mean, they're perfect for each other."
> 
> "Alright, Mr. and Mrs. Solo. Last chance to put in a word..."


	28. Six Months Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: It's a bit of a mess for our stubborn couple, huh? This story has 34 chapters plus an epilogue, so we're almost on the home stretch. Don't lose hope, folks. It's not over yet!

* * *

**~XXVIII. Six Months Later~**

The day had come. Their six-month 'trial period' was met.

After the evening they had, the morning started out quietly. Rey woke up with barely a wink of sleep but forced herself out of bed to start her morning routine – shower, change clothes, and go to the kitchen for breakfast. She spent the entire night bawling her eyes out, letting go of everything she had been keeping inside for the past week. But today she wasn't going to let her emotions break her down. It was already hard as it was given the significance of that day, but it is what it is. Rey had one thing on her mind – to put all of this behind and go back to her own life.

Ben's night wasn't any better. His interrupted phone call set the tone for what could've been… well, he wasn't sure what he was supposed to think what he and Rey's night could've been had they not been interrupted. All he knew was that it was the heat of the moment and it felt right. And with Rey responding the way she did, Ben had thought that maybe, just maybe… things would turn around. Unfortunately, it didn't. When she shut him out, he plopped on the couch and droned out the agonizing silence and evident loneliness around him; beating himself up for once again doing the wrong thing. It was better this way, he finally decided before he shut his eyes nearly 3 AM. The universe said no, so he wouldn't argue. If he and Rey weren't meant to go on, then he'd leave it at that. It was time to give up. _You won, universe. You won_.

They shared a silent breakfast together, acting as if the night before didn't happen. While things were more than ever complicated between them, neither Ben nor Rey wanted to give the other person the upper hand and show weakness, so they decided to journey to the courthouse together amicably. _Stubborn idiots_. This willful blindness was saved by none other than their mutual best friend when he knocked on their door at half past the hour.

"Poe? What are you doing here?" Ben was surprised to see him.

"Good morning to you too, Ben," Poe chuckled and slipped inside the apartment.

"Poe?" Rey asked when she appeared from the hallway. "What-"

"Seriously, can't a guy come and visit his friends without all this wondering?" he stopped Rey before she could ask the same question.

"Dude… Now's not really a good time. Rey and I have to be-"

"At the courthouse by noon," he interrupted again. "I know. I was there the first day remember?" he chuckled.

"Okay so… what _are_ you doing here?" Rey finally was able to ask him.

Poe deeply sighed. He knew his pestering wouldn't work today.

"I know what day is today," he looked at Ben. Then he turned his attention to Rey. "It's… a big day."

Ben fiddled with his keys and averted his eyes elsewhere. Rey shuffled her feet a bit and sulked. No one wanted to acknowledge their friend's words. If they did, then it would be too real.

"Look," he sighed. "I was there the night this all happened. I was there the morning we got back to LA. I'm part of this relationship whether you two like it or not," he lightheartedly joked.

This at least got Ben and Rey to ease up a bit and look up at him.

"I'm both of your best friends. So, I'm going to be there when this all ends too."

They both looked up at Poe and smiled. For the first time that morning they felt a little better about the day.

"Thanks Poe," Ben patted his back.

Rey went over to hug him and give her thanks as well. With that, the trio immediately departed and headed to their eminent doom.

~.~.~.~

It was déjà vu all over again. Their appointment got pushed back by two hours, leaving the trio waiting around the courthouse on a busy Friday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles. Poe offered to buy lunch and they all ate silently in their seats outside their meeting hall. Truthfully, Rey was glad Poe had tagged along. She didn't know how much longer she could keep up her brave face. The awkward air she spent around Ben that morning and the intensity of everything that was supposed to happen that day was overwhelming. Ben was thankful for Poe's saving grace as well. Sure, he submitted to the universe's decision to keep himself and Rey apart, but that didn't mean he completely agreed. He was desperate to speak to her but held his guard up because he didn't want to complicate things anymore. Poe's arrival saved him from doing further damage to their morning.

"It's just our luck that our meeting got pushed back again, huh?" Ben said to no one in particular.

"Maybe it's a sign from the universe," Poe teased the pair.

Poe meant what he said that he wanted to be there for his friends. But that didn't mean he agreed with their decision. He thought they were making a huge mistake. And he wasn't talking about their drunken marriage.

"Or maybe Snoke just likes to torture us," Rey said in reply.

"Oh stop your complaining you guys," Poe dismissed the two. "It's a beautiful day! At least we get some nice sunshine."

Poe leaned back, raised his arms behind him and got a bit comfortable on the bench between his friends.

"Well with sunshine that usually means heat. And I just drank two bottles of water, so I'll be right back."

Ben excused himself and disappeared down the hallway to find the men's room.

"How are you holding up, kiddo?" Poe asked Rey once they were alone.

"I'm fine," she said simply.

"Just fine?"

"Yeah. I'm… numb to it I guess."

"Which one?" he asked oddly.

She was a bit confused at his question and was about to ask him what he meant… but then she remembered.

"Don't even," she frowned at him.

"Okay, I'll stop," he brought his hands up to surrender. He may be a jokester, but Poe knew when to be serious. "Just let me know if I can do anything, Rey. I'm serious. I got you."

"Just being here and supporting us both is good enough," she smiled at her friend.

She rested her head on his shoulder and allowed her thoughts to puddle. He had a point. Which one was she more numb to really?

Ben emerged from the men's room a few minutes later and before heading back, took a stop at a water fountain nearby. It really was a warm day and the air conditioning in that building wasn't really the best.

"Ben?" a familiar voice called behind him.

He shut off the faucet, wiped his mouth and spun around.

"Dad?"

"Fancy running into you here, son." Han was walking towards him from the other side of the hallway.

"Uh… what are you doing here?" he asked timidly.

"Your mother wanted me to drop off some late tax returns to our attorney's office. What are you doing here?"

"Um… It's nothing dad, don't worry about it," he tried to dismiss. Then he looked at his watch. _Crap, it's almost close to 2_ , Ben realized. "Sorry, I got to go."

Ben started to head the opposite way, but Han was not easy to get rid of.

"Come on son, what are you doing here? Are you in trouble?"

"No, dad." Ben kept walking. Han continued to follow.

"Because if you are, Sabine's here. Our lawyers can help you."

"Dad, I'm fine, please leave."

Ben stopped at the corner of the hallway. He didn't want Han to know who was on the other side.

"Ben," his dad sternly said. "Whatever it is that's troubling you, you know you can tell me, right? I know we haven't been on the best terms lately, but I'm still your father. You can tell me anything."

Ben heavily sighed. Maybe he should tell him.

"Dad… I… Please go." He decided against telling him anything last minute. He didn't want a lecture before his meeting.

"Come on, son, what is it?" Han was insistent.

"Mr. Solo?" Poe said from across the hall.

Han peered in front of him around the corner. He saw Poe and Rey sitting on nearby benches.

"Poe? Rey?" He was surprised to see some more familiar faces. He then turned back to Ben. "Did you come here with them?"

The Solo men walked over to the bench as Poe and Rey straightened up their postures. They were becoming just as uncomfortable as Ben with Han's presence.

When no one wanted to speak up, Han's frustration began to show.

"Alright, someone tell me what's going on before I make it more uncomfortable for the three of you," he was beginning to lose his patience.

Rey and Ben glanced at one another. The jig was up. She nodded at him to continue.

"Dad…" Ben sighed. "Rey and I are splitting up."

"What?!"

Ben sulked his head in shame. Rey and Poe stayed silent, not daring to meet eyes with Han or each other. There was no easy way to break the news. They simply awaited his reaction.

"You two are getting a divorce?! It's barely been a year!"

"Six months, and no. We're getting an annulment."

"No son, it's a divorce."

"No, dad. Snoke agreed to-"

"You're hearing is with SNOKE?! What the hell did you two do?!" He angrily glanced between the pair.

"Rey. Ben. We're ready for you," Rey's attorney stepped out of the courtroom to inform the group.

Poe and Rey got up slowly and began to make their way to the room.

"I'm… really sorry, Han. We never mean to hurt you," Rey said to him before walking inside.

A furious and very confused Han turned back to his son.

"You better tell me what the hell is going on right now, Ben," he sneered.

He was about to turn on his defenses, and tell his dad to piss off but what was the point? Soon it would all be over.

"Dad just follow me. It'll all make sense if you sit down for our hearing."

They'd find out soon enough; might as well rip the band aid off while the wound was still fresh. Han was about to retort, but Ben was called back again and he had no choice but to follow him inside.

After the introductions, the infamous judge appeared before the tiny audience in the courtroom.

"Alright let's see. Mr. Solo and Ms. Andor. Ah, look who it is, the lovely couple from Vegas," Snoke welcomed them.

"Vegas?!" Han irately whispered to Poe.

Of all the seats to take, Han plopped himself right beside their friend. Talk about awkward. Poe dryly gulped and nodded at the older Solo.

"Friend Poe," the judge sardonically acknowledged their friend's presence.

Poe wasn't sure if he were more scared of Han or Snoke at the moment. He sat small in his chair, hoping to become invisible. _The things I do for my friends._

"Now before we get down to it, is there anything you two would like to share with us today?"

The judge gave them a chance to speak, though Ben and Rey kept their vow of silence.

"Alright," as if Snoke wasn't fazed. "Moving forward. Mr. Pryde, would you please step up to the podium."

The counselor stood up and made his way to the bench.

"Let's go over the terms from the last meeting. In the case of Mr. and Mrs. Ben and Rey Solo, the two parties requested an annulment after an impromptu marriage ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada - to which I ordered a six-month probationary period…"

" _What_?!" Han furiously grumbled under his breath.

 _It's decided, Han was scarier._ Poe winced in his seat next to the angry man.

"Let's see… shared living expenses, no fraud or infidelity I may assume, Mr. Pryde?"

"No sir."

"And they in fact lived under one roof the whole time?"

"Yes sir, In Mr. Solo's loft in Santa Monica."

"I see… And were they working out their marriage?"

"Indeed. They co-existed peacefully, respected one another and went so far as to take on shared interests."

"Now see, that wasn't so bad was it?"

Still, not a response from either party. Still, Snoke wasn't deterred.

"Mr. Pryde, before you are dismissed, do you have any last words about the couple?"

The counselor glanced at Ben and Rey, the two people he had visited every other week for the past six months. If anyone saw the constant progress firsthand, it was him.

"Your honor, I've been in this business for twenty years. Most of my cases are usually to prove no foul play on surprise marriages for citizenship or for financial gains. This was a unique situation where a husband and wife were to be observed in trying to make an unplanned marriage work. With these two… well, they're just two people who care about each other's well-beings. Honestly, I would've never guessed they were having any marriage qualms or that they wouldn't be this compatible. They've coexisted and complimented each other so well; one might even think they've been married for years. I've never seen a stronger bond between two people. They're perfect for each other."

As tough as the situation was, the words Pryde spoke were a breath of fresh air. Han's face softened for the first time since he stepped into that room. If he agreed with one thing, the counselor's words were spot on. A smile broke on Poe's face hearing what the counselor said of his two friends. Despite the constant teasing and badgering, he was glad to hear that there really was something going on with them. He certainly agreed with Pryde. They were perfect for each other. If only the two of them could accept it.

"If there's anything they can take out of this," Pryde concluded, "it's that there are genuine feelings between them. They care about each other's happiness."

He smiled at the couple and they nodded curtly, thanking him for his kind words. Still, they couldn't look at one another.

"Thank you, Mr. Pryde, that will be all."

 _Wow he really is a cold guy,_ Poe thought to himself. Admittedly, he was about ready to shed a tear with what Pryde had said, but Snoke didn't even bat an eye. _What a monster._

"Alright, Mr. and Mrs. Solo. Last chance to put in a word," the judge offered the two.

At long last, they looked over at one another. They spoke no words, but their eyes said it all. Longing, remorse, _regret_. They broke contact just as fast as they made it and had brief conversations with their attorneys, then their two lawyers conversed. After a minute Ben's attorney Sabine spoke for both parties.

"Your honor, while they appreciate what Mr. Pryde said and have taken a lot from this shared experience… both of our clients still just want an annulment."

Snoke studied the two, as if finding a snide remark to say or possibly give them another chance to speak. Nevertheless, he thought against it and simply shrugged.

"Well then…" he shuffled his papers in front of him. "Annulment granted."

With the crack of the gavel on the rock hard surface, it was officially over.

Hushed murmurs and chairs shuffling filled the white noise surrounding them. Ben sulked in his seat, trying to make sense of reality. _Well, that's that._ Rey for a moment was coming to grips with it as well. She let out a breathy sigh. Then she stood up, walked to his side of the room and placed her ring on the table in front of him. He forced himself to meet eyes with her. She was on the verge of tears, but the stubborn woman was fighting it.

"Goodbye Ben."

And just like that, Rey walked out of the room with her attorney, Poe towing behind waving apologetically at him as he followed his other friend out the door.

Ben picked up the ring. The one he spent a fortune on and didn't even know. Though it was worth every penny because it was meant for someone he thought was worth every moment.

"Well… I can't say I'm relieved that this is all over," Han walked up to his son.

Ben got up from his chair and pocketed the ring. He reluctantly turned to his father, awaiting his punishment like a guilty puppy with his tail between his legs. Han was about to scold Ben, call him an idiot, call him irresponsible, call him a liar… But even he could tell his son was broken.

"Come on," he patted his shoulder. "Your diet's over. Let's grab a beer, son."

~.~.~.~

"Augh, I haven't had alcohol in so long. I'm seriously going to feel this later. Like when Poe and I…" Ben stopped his string of thought, realizing he was talking to his dad.

"What? When Poe and you used to sneak in my liquor cabinet and drink my whiskey? Don't think I didn't notice, son," Han chuckled.

Ben sincerely laughed for the first time that day. Who would have thought of all people his dad was the one to console him after he just separated from his wife? _Whoa, he never thought he'd ever say that._ It was a tough enough morning already for him and Rey. Running into Han at the courthouse just made it even harder. But his father surprised him after the whole ordeal and took him to a bar downtown to drink his problems away. However, he knew his dad. It was any moment now that Han would admonish him for his actions. Which was why Ben thought now would be a better time than any to start drinking again.

"Alright," Han polished his second beer before ordering another bottle. He felt enough time - and alcohol - has passed for Ben to start explaining things. "Are we going to do this the easy way or the hard way? Because I've got nowhere to go."

"Jesus, dad," Ben huffed. "Can't we just sit here and drink? We haven't had the best relationship and I actually like just sitting here with you."

"Don't try to butter me up with a 'bonding moment' excuse, son," Han warned him. "And yeah, I like this too, us hanging out. But it's not entirely my fault that you and I haven't had the best relationship. You shut me out all the time."

"That's because you never give me a chance talk," Ben hissed back.

"Well alright then, talk…"

"Really? Now you're letting me speak? How convenient for you," he rolled his eyes at his father.

"Funny how things work out huh?" he teased his son, not one bit perturbed by his frustration.

"Fine," Ben gave in. Before he spoke, he downed his old-fashion and ordered another one. If he was going to share this whole story with his dad, he'd need the liquid courage. "What do you want to know?"

"Jeez where to start," Han decided to get a bit more comfortable in his seat. "How did this happen? And how did Snoke get involved?"

Ben let out a tired sigh. He started from the beginning, telling Han of his plans to go to Las Vegas for the weekend because he was still heated after getting fired. He shared how his and Rey's hotel room was double booked. That was how he reconnected with Poe and how their friends met, hence why they all went to the clubs together and Ben got to know Rey. It was hard for Ben to share with Han how stupid drunk he, Poe and Rey got once it was just down to the three of them. Then one thing led to another and he woke up the next morning in bed with Rey.

"Well, at least you woke up with a beautiful girl next to you," Han eased the moment.

Ben blushed at that comment. It was already uncomfortable telling his dad about his sex life but remembering that day with Rey got him sentimental.

He continued and told Han that they didn't even remember getting married; Poe's friend had to tell them. When Ben and Rey put the pieces together and found the wedding ring, it was legitimate.

"You bought her an actual ring? Not one of those cheesy fakes at the chapels?"

Ben fished said ring from his pocket and placed it on the counter.

"Real gold. Real diamonds."

Han picked it up and carefully examined it.

"Nice taste, kid," he said approvingly. "And how did you pay for this?"

"Let's hash one situation at a time, dad," Ben joked. Han laughed at that and handed the ring back, motioning for Ben to continue.

They went to the courthouse the Monday they got back, and their original judge was reassigned to a more urgent case. As luck would have it, they ended up with Snoke, no choice there. Han knew Snoke. He hated the man. Snoke played dirty and didn't care who knew. He thought he was above the law. Funny because he would always chastise people like Ben and Rey for thinking they were overly privileged when he was the real culprit of robbed power. Ben explained how much of a hard time Snoke gave them, not accepting their annulment plea the first time and instead sentenced them to live together for six months under his watch. Then he would decide at the end whether to grant them an annulment.

"I wish you would've told me or your mother Ben, we could've helped. You know we have some of the best attorneys."

"Sabine helped with the whole thing, but even she couldn't get Snoke to reconsider. I also asked her not to tell you and mom anything so don't get mad at her."

"No, it's fine," Han assured him. "God, I hope one day that snotty old curmudgeon gets what he deserves."

"That's pretty much it," Ben shrugged. "You know the rest. Rey and I became roommates, well… married roommates, but that was all. Sorry we didn't tell you or mom the truth. We didn't want to hurt you guys."

"Well," Han groaned. "I can't say I'm happy."

"Neither can I," Ben took a long sip of his drink.

Replaying the last six months in his head was a lot to process. He saw the progress he and Rey made with each other. They really have come a long way. But in the end, the progress was for nothing. After a moment to let it all seep in, Han spoke up.

"What the hell were you thinking, Ben?" he said flatly.

Ben was caught off guard. Sure, he's heard his father say those words, but they were usually accompanied with a more spiteful growl. Either way the words meant the same. His dad was once again disappointed in him.

"Go ahead dad, tell me I screwed up again," he scoffed.

"You're damn right you did!" Han grumbled.

"Great, yeah keep it coming," his sarcasm did not help calm the situation.

Han got up from his seat and paced around. He was trying his best to keep his cool and not make a scene with his son. No matter that it was after the lunch rush and the bar barely had eight people in it.

"You're an idiot, yes. But not for getting drunk and married, but for losing Rey," he said pointedly, emphasizing the last part to Ben.

"What?" he did not expect that.

"Don't play dumb with me, son. You guys didn't fool anyone."

This was pushed on long enough. All the teasing and prodding the last six months from his friends, Ben was almost at his breaking point.

"We weren't trying to fool anyone!" he cried. "Well, okay we didn't tell people exactly how we got married, but we were civil. We got along fine."

"And fell in love," Han added.

"What the fuck?!"

Again, that was another topic that was pushed around to which Ben was losing patience.

"You heard me, son," Han was not afraid to challenge him.

"Dad I-"

"No Ben, stop with your god damn excuses!"

This time Han slammed his hands down on the counter, the random patrons jumped at the noise, wandering their attention to the two men.

"Shit dad, be any louder?!" Ben said through gritted teeth.

Han waved off the others, telling them to get back to their own things before turning back to his son.

"It's one to mess up your own future with your wishy-washy dreams of becoming a pilot or whatever the hell you want to do. But did you ever stop to think you were altering Rey's future too?"

"I never stopped her from doing her job."

"I'm not talking about her career; I'm talking about her heart. And your heart. You can go out and break girls' hearts all you want, but I thought I raised you better than that when it came to the real thing."

Ben fell silent. So, Han continued.

"I know you don't want to hear this, especially right now and from me, but you fucked up, Ben. You really did. She was the best thing to happen to you."

"Don't you think I know that?!" Ben croaked.

"Then what the hell are you doing here talking to me?!" Han exclaimed.

"Dad, it's too late," he sulked his head to the counter.

"It's never too late, Ben."

He patted his son's shoulder and sat back down, trying to calm himself for his son's sake.

"I'm not proud of this, but I've walked out on your mother when we'd fight so many times when you were young. But whenever I was wandering the streets, drinking alone at a bar, I came back to her and she always forgave me. That's why I always came back."

"What made you think she would always forgive you?" Ben looked at his dad.

"Because your mother and I love each other. Love is stronger than hate. You forgive someone not because they're wrong or you're right. But because you love them."

Ben played with the napkin that his drink rested. Even if this wasn't reciprocal love between him and Rey, he had six months to do something, anything. It was just too late. Not meant to be… At least that what he believed the universe was telling him.

"Even if I knew what to do, I don't think I have the strength to do it," he confessed.

"You do, Ben," his father said. "Sometimes the one thing that is right for you may be the hardest thing to do. That just means it's important."

Ben suddenly glanced up at his father, surprised at what he said.

"What?" Han was puzzled by Ben's abrupt gaze.

"Nothing, it's just… Rey said something along the lines of that to me once."

"Well, she's a smart girl. And if she saw something in you that was worth taking the chance, then you're a better bet than you think you are."

"How are you sure?" Ben was still doubting himself.

"I'm not, but I'm hopeful," Han said to him. "It's like I always said when you were in little league… Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. Rey's a home run, son. _That_ you can be sure of."

Hans words resonated through Ben's thoughts. This was the first time his father ever believed in him. Too bad right now Ben didn't believe in himself. He looked at his father in pure innocence. Han understood. There was no bright side of things for Ben. At least not today. There was no getting through to him anymore. He tried his best, but Han knew there was nothing else to say to change his son's mind.

"Look, everyone copes differently. And who gives a damn what people say. Just think for yourself and what's best for you," he told his son. "If you need me, you know where to find me."

Han finished his beer and took out a couple of bills to pay for his and Ben's drinks. He got up, kissed him on top of his head and started to leave.

"Dad?" Ben muttered.

Han turned back to him, surprised that his son still had something to say.

"Yeah?"

For a moment Ben let the silence blanket between them. Then he stood up from his stool and faced his father.

"Are you disappointed in me?"

Han saw for the first time a scared little boy standing in front to him. He immediately walked back to the bar and took Ben into his arms. His son's broad shoulders immediately collapsed at his embrace. Then unexpectedly out of nowhere Ben began to sob.

"You're my son, Ben. No matter the crazy stupid shit you've done, you'll always be my son. I know you'll figure out what's best for you, and I know you'll always come home to me and your mom. There's nothing to be disappointed by that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Alone
> 
> "How are you holding up, kiddo?"
> 
> "Ugh Poe," she rolled her eyes. "You've asked me that like five times today. I'm fine."
> 
> "Yeah, I don't buy it."
> 
> "It's been a long day... All I want to do is just stop thinking."
> 
> "I can respect that. But I know you, Rey. And I know how important this day was supposed to be... Both circumstances."


	29. Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: In the midst of the angst here is a sweet Rey and Poe friendship chapter. Also, his subplot concludes. Enjoy!

* * *

**~XXIX. Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Alone~**

" _Hey Rose. You and Finn get to the airport safely?"_

" _Yep. We just boarded our plane. Should be leaving in a few. Wanted to call before we take off."_

" _Is Finn freaking out yet?"_

" _We hadn't gone through security yet and he was already hyperventilating," Rose chuckled._

" _You should take my advice!" Poe joked about an earlier comment he made._

" _We'll see how he handles the air and if there's too much turbulence later on."_

" _Good idea. But seriously, how's he doing?"_

" _As best as he could be given the situation," she teased. "How's our girl doing?"_

" _As best as she could be given the day she had," Poe lightly joked back. "Rey's doing alright. She's staying strong."_

" _Augh, I feel so bad Finn and I aren't there. We should've cancelled our plans."_

" _Hey don't say that. You know Rey would've been upset if you did. Don't worry, I'll take care of her."_

" _I know but she needs us all to be there right now. I'm a terrible friend."_

" _No you're not."_

" _I know, but still," they both chuckled._

" _You're right, she needs us. But maybe she doesn't really."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _You know Rey, she's stubborn. Of course she wants us around, but she also wants to deal with things by herself. I'm surprised I got her to even hangout with me after everything that happened today. She was just going to stay at your apartment the rest of the day and mope in bed."_

" _I guess you're right. And it's good that she went out with you."_

_*PA Announcement: Thank you for flying Millennium Airlines. We will be taking off in just a few short minutes. Doors are now closing.*_

" _That's my cue."_

" _Don't you worry. Rey will be safe with me."_

" _Alright. Give her a big hug from me and Finn. When we get back on Sunday, we're having movie night and a sleep over at my apartment!"_

" _Will do, Rose. Have a safe flight."_

_*click*_

Poe set the phone back into its holster on the wall then walked across the empty dining hall over to the bar. He settled on cleaning some glasses to busy himself while he waited for his friend to return from the restroom. Rey appeared minutes after his call and perched herself on a stool in front of him.

"Just got off the phone with Rose. Finn's super nervous on the plane," he informed her.

"That man is terrified of flying," Rey said of their friend.

Finn could watch scary movies, go bungee jumping in a thunderstorm, and snow board down a rough terrain, but the man feared being trapped in a 'giant metal ball floating in the sky' (his words) of all things.

"He'll be alright. I told Rose to give him some Dramamine."

"Is that even enough to calm him down?"

"You didn't let me finish," he said to her. "I told Rose to give him some Dramamine… and Vodka," Poe joked.

Rey laughed at that comment. The first genuine laugh she had all day.

After their court appearance, Rey and Ben spoke briefly (and separately) with their attorneys. While Snoke's decision was indeed final, the paperwork itself would take several weeks to process. It wasn't over yet, but Rey was given permission to move out of Ben's loft. Poe, however, suggested she pick up her things another time and just separate herself from the situation for the rest of the day. She wanted to mope in bed since Finn and Rose were away on a trip to visit Finn's family in New York that weekend. She also didn't want to burden Poe anymore that day with her grief. But he was insistent to not let her be alone, so he managed to convince her to hang out at the Cantina with him for the rest of the night.

"So, what are we doing tonight?" he asked his friend.

"You make it seem like we're celebrating something," she looked at him skeptically.

"I don't know," he flung his arms in the air. "You don't want me to make it a sad moment and obviously it's not a happy moment. You've got to help me out, Rey. I'm not good at reading your cues. I'm not Rose," he said desperately.

"It's alright, Poe," she gently smiled at him. "You're being the best support right now by not letting me be alone."

"I guess," he shrugged in defeat.

He didn't accept it, but at least Rey said he was helping. He just wanted to do more. He knew he could. He just didn't know how.

"What about food, are you hungry? Who am I kidding, of course you are, you're always hungry!" they both laughed.

"See, you're doing great. Just be you, Poe. That'll cheer me up in no time," Rey said.

"Alright. Let me see if I can get Kaydel to come in a bit early for her shift. We can grab a bite before the bar opens. Sound good?"

Rey nodded in agreement then Poe took out his cell phone and typed a message to Kaydel. She was curious about what happened between him and his lady friend after he spent the weekend at the loft, so she segued into that topic to take the spotlight away from herself.

"How are things going with you and Kaydel by the way?"

"Hey if I can't ask you how you're doing in your personal life, then you can't ask me," he teased her.

"Humor me, Dameron," she said sarcastically.

"You're lucky I'm giving you a free pass tonight, kiddo," he playfully slapped his bar towel at her. "There's nothing really new going on there. I mean if you count me not getting into any more bar fights," he joked.

"That's definitely progress," she said to him.

"I talked to her after I left your place and she's at least agreeing to be civil with me. After all we do work together."

"That's good. So you're friends now?"

"' _Almost friends'_ , if that's a thing," he air-quoted the phrase.

"It definitely is a thing," Rey confirmed. "Believe me, I know."

The two friends laughed at her remark.

"It's just a tricky area," he admitted. "Not sure what to do or think about it."

"Better friends than nothing at all, right?"

Poe raised an inquisitive brow at her. "Take your own advice, Rey."

"Free pass tonight, Poe," she reminded him. They glared at each other and chuckled.

As luck would have it, Kaydel walked into the Cantina.

"Hey, I literally just got your text. Good thing I was already in the area running errands before my shift. I tried to get here as fast as I could," she hurriedly rushed to the bar. "Is everything alright?"

Poe had texted Kaydel in a rather urgent tone that he had an emergency errand to run and needed her to cover the bar for him. Maybe he was being a little over-dramatic in his text, but hey it got Kaydel there faster right?

"Y-yeah," Poe replied nervously. Suddenly his whole demeanor had changed. "I just need someone to cover for me for an hour. Need to help Rey with something."

"Oh… okay," she said, unsure of the situation or if she could prod about it.

She waved to Rey and excused herself to go to the back room to put away her things. Poe stood in place like a deer in the headlights, something Rey's never seen in her usually confident friend.

"What was that about?" she wondered.

"Huh?" he shook his head lazily and turned his attention to her.

"You were acting so… weird," she said pointedly.

"It's tough, kiddo," Poe bluntly admitted. "I still like her a lot."

"I get it," Rey acknowledged him.

Honestly, Rey was probably the only one (and Ben too) who understood Poe's feelings about Kaydel. And with all he's been doing helping out Rey and Ben with their situation, the least she could do was help her friend get the happy ending. Someone should get it.

"Poe, take it from me. Don't miss your chance," she winked at him encouragingly.

"Right…" He said plainly, still fixed in a lucid state.

She gawked at him, gesturing with her hands as if to say what was he still doing talking to her and not the girl in the back room.

Slowly he realized what Rey was motioning. "What, now?"

"Yes now," Rey urged.

"I don't know…" he began to fiddle with his bar towel aimlessly.

Rey stood from her stool and leaned forward, grabbing him by the shirt and pulled him towards her to get his attention.

"Listen to me," she looked him square in the eyes. "You're Poe Dameron. The most confident guy I know. You can have any woman, but you want her. That means she must be one hell of a girl. Tell her that she is."

"But Rey-"

"No more bullshit. Remember?" she told him what he said to her all those nights ago. "Don't make the same mistake I did. You're better than that."

"Aren't I supposed to be the one consoling you?" he lightly joked.

"I would never let my sadness keep my best friend from his happiness," she assured him. "I'll be fine, Poe. Now go. You got this."

She let go of his shirt and sat back down. She looked at him surely this time, no sadness in her eyes for the briefest moment. When he was sure she was alright, Poe nodded at Rey more confidently.

"Okay," he said. "Wish me luck!"

"You don't need it, buddy," Rey winked at her friend.

Poe thanked her once again and headed toward the back room. _Here goes nothing_.

"Hey," he waved at her upon entering.

Kaydel was currently on the computer clocking in for a shift. She quickly punched a few numbers down and got up from her seat.

"Hey Poe, is Rey alright? She seemed... off," she had noticed the awkward air earlier.

"Yeah, that's what I was going to tell you," he said. "But that's not important right now…"

Kaydel studied him, brows furrowed, a look of concern and confusion on her face.

"What's up?" she questioned.

One look at her and Poe couldn't do it. He was too nervous to express himself. He was scared of getting rejected again. _I swear, Ben and Rey's anxieties might be contagious!_ He thought to himself. Instead, he just shifted the conversation back.

"Uh… I'm going to grab some food with Rey before the bar opens tonight. Did you want me to pick you up something?"

"Wait," Kaydel shook her head dubiously. "You asked me to come in early just so you can get food? I could've gotten some for you and Rey on my way here." She almost sounded annoyed.

"Kaydel," Poe stopped her. Might as well share the news, right? "Rey and Ben split up."

_"Oh."_

"They're court date was today. It's official."

"Oh…" she said again. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," he sighed. "Rose and Finn are out of town so I'm the only one Rey has tonight. She needs me."

Kaydel felt the gravity in his voice. She's never heard Poe speak this way in fact. It was a different side of him. A good different.

"You should take the rest of the night off. I've got it covered. Go be with your friend," she insisted.

"No, Rey doesn't want to mope," Poe irritably shook his head. "It's frustrating really, but I'm just going along with whatever she wants to do tonight. It's the least I can do."

Poe was fighting his internal need to have a solution for everything. The charmer that he was, he hated not knowing how to make Rey's situation better. His aggravation seemed to have shown as Kaydel noticed his sudden change in demeanor.

"Well you're a good friend," Kaydel said to him. This was a side she's never seen of Poe. It made him more… _human_. Different from his usual 'lady's man' façade. She kind of liked it.

"Right so… did you want me to pick you up anything?" he asked once more.

"Sure. Whatever is fine," she gently smiled.

Poe's breath hitched. He was surprised that she smiled at him. Maybe he didn't miss his chance. _Come on, Dameron. Just tell her,_ Poe thought to himself. But before he could say anything, the office phone rang.

"Cantina on the Pier?" Kaydel answered for him. "One moment please… It's for you. One of our suppliers."

She handed him the phone and stepped aside, seemingly waiting as if she knew there was more to talk about with him.

"This is Poe Dameron… Ah, one second," he turned to Kaydel for a second. "Do you mind checking on Rey for me while I take this call?"

He knew he couldn't leave Rey alone for long. Who knows the kind of dreary chasm she'd fall into after one hell of a day like this one?

"Sure thing, boss," she winked at him and left the room.

He almost dropped the phone in his hands. If Poe didn't have to talk on the phone right now, he'd further explore what that wink meant. _God damn you whoever's on the phone!_

Kaydel walked out of the back room and into the bar, standing where Poe had been just minutes earlier.

"Hey Rey," she greeted her.

"Hi," she kindly responded.

Remembering what Poe had said, Kaydel wasn't sure how to go about making small talk with her. She wasn't even sure if she was supposed to know anything.

"Heard you and Poe were grabbing some dinner?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry he had to call you in early."

"No worries, girl," she dismissed. Kaydel decided to get busy and wipe the counter down. Was it a thing for bartenders to mindlessly wipe stuff?

"He's just trying to take care of me. It's sweet but I don't think anything will work," she admitted. She assumed Poe told her about the situation. No use pretending anymore.

"Yeah," Kaydel pondered that thought slowly to herself. "Poe is sweet sometimes, huh?"

Rey glimpsed at her, that dazed expression on the barmaid's face. Then she smirked. Maybe Poe still had a chance. This was Rey's way of paying him back for helping her.

"You know…." Rey said grippingly, catching Kaydel's attention.

If she wasn't getting lucky that day, someone should have the happy ending.

"I've known Poe for… gosh has it really been seven years?" she and Kaydel giggled at that remark. "Anyway, Poe is just a whole lotta energy. But he never ceases to amaze me with every layer he reveals."

Kaydel liked the thought of him being a complex man. All she ever saw was one side of him. The goofy side.

Rey continued. "He's got a fun side, he's got a sensitive side, he's got a nurturing side, and he's got a terrified side. Don't let that whole 'I'm fearless' crap get to his head. It's rubbish. Poe can't watch horror films unless the lights are on," this made them laugh.

"Duly noted," Kaydel said.

"But he is as genuine as it gets."

"Oh yeah?"

"He may kid around a lot, but when he's serious take it at face value."

Kaydel thought about that for a moment. Maybe he really did mean it when he said he wanted to try to change for her. Maybe he really was more than meets the eye.

"It's hard for him just as much as it's hard for me and Ben. He's the only one who knows us both. He's both our best friend. He's just trying his best to make sure his friends are going to be alright…"

Although Rey meant to talk Poe up to Kaydel, the words she spoke rang true. Poe was trying his best and that was more than anyone could ask of a friend. Especially tonight.

"Hey ladies," Poe stepped out of the back room wearing a frown. "Augh… Rey, I'm really sorry. That was one of my suppliers. His new delivery guy is on his way here today instead of our usual Monday scheduled time and I have to be here to sign the orders."

"It's alright, Poe," Rey understood.

But Poe still felt guilty, shrugging in defeat.

"I can grab food for all of us if you want?" Kaydel offered.

"Oh would you? That'd be great thanks so much," he touched Kaydel's shoulder briefly. He wasn't thinking when he did. When they both realized it, things got… awkward.

Poe recoiled his arm immediately and the two stood there nervously. Her best friend was trying his best not to make eye contact with anyone, and the barmaid was trying to hide a blush on her cheeks.

This thoroughly amused Rey. _So this is how everyone felt when they saw Ben and I interact,_ she thought.

"So yeah. Let me give you some cash and uh, do you want a pizza, Rey?" he asked.

"Sure," she agreed.

Poe and Kaydel walked towards the front of the Cantina so he could grab cash out of the register.

"Here, this should be enough. Thanks again for doing this, Kaydel, I really appreciate it," he said nervously.

"No problem. Go be there for your friend," she smiled sweetly at him.

He curtly nodded, turning back towards the bar. Kaydel was about to step outside when she spun back around at the last minute. With everything she and Rey talked about just now, maybe she was coming around to see that Poe could actually be a decent guy.

"Hey Poe?"

He stopped and turned around a little too eagerly to look at her.

"Yeah?"

She anxiously fiddled with her keys, gathering some courage. Then she walked back up to him for a second.

"Maybe… we can try this again. You and me. If you want."

It was as if she solved all the world's problems. At least in Poe's world because he was absolutely glowing.

"Really?" he said in disbelief. He swore he was dreaming.

"Yeah," she smiled at him. "Everyone deserves a chance, right? Even you and me?"

"Yes, I'd like that so much," he happily agreed. _And Dameron gets the girl!_

Once Kaydel left, Poe walked over to the bar with a skip to his step and a permanent smile plastered on his face.

"There's that Poe Dameron swag," Rey said teasingly.

"Did you have something to do with this?" he wondered.

"I may have nudged her to your direction with your already great personality," she winked at him.

"Oh man, Rey. I owe you one!" He said gratefully.

"Yeah well you're babysitting me tonight so let's just call it even," she shrugged.

He tossed a drink coaster at her and chuckled.

"So, how are you holding up, kiddo?"

"Ugh Poe," she rolled her eyes. "You've asked me that like five times today. I'm _fine_."

"Yeah, I don't buy it," he leaned his elbows on the counter and narrowed his eyes at her.

"It's been a long day… All I want to do is just stop thinking."

"I can respect that," he said to her. "But I know you, Rey. And I know how important this day was supposed to be… _Both_ circumstances," he treaded lightly once again.

Rey deeply sighed, playing with the coaster in front of her. As much as she wanted Poe to stop bringing this up, he meant well in doing so because he didn't want her to keep her misery bottled up. Especially after everything that happened today.

"Well what is there to say?" she said to him. "I got divorced on my wedding day."

Though he knew nothing could fix it, he patted her hand consolingly. At least she finally acknowledged it out loud. He knew it was eating her inside.

"I'm just breaking all the records, aren't I?" she tried to lighten the situation, though he knew she was just trying to cover up her pain.

"I'm sure someone has a shorter record than you," he tried to joke with her. "And technically, it was an annulment," he added.

"Like that makes it any better?" she replied.

"No, I guess not," he shook his head apologetically.

Rey sadly smiled to herself at an aching thought.

"What's worse is that I split with the guy I wanted to be with instead of marrying the one I wasn't supposed to."

 _Finally_ , Poe shouted in his mind. _FINALLY, SHE ADMITS IT._ It was just too bad that he couldn't kid around with her at that moment.

"Yeah well… the universe is a bitch sometimes," was all he could say.

Rey sulked in her seat even more. It was the first time that day where she spoke openly about the given situation. Yes, today was supposed to be Rey and Hobbie's wedding day. In fact, the plane tickets Rose and Finn booked were for her wedding as they were supposed to exchange vows near Hobbie's home state where most of his family lived. When they broke it off, Rey insisted that the couple keep their flights since Finn had wanted to visit his brother in New York at the same time.

Rey didn't want to admit it at first, but Hobbie's sudden appearance at the loft seriously messed her up. She wasn't succumbing to his manipulation, no. She was completely over him. But he still had that power over her and made her believe that she wasn't allowed to have a happy ending. Especially with Ben. To say that his mind games may have clouded her better judgment with Ben wasn't completely off. It wasn't until that morning when Pryde had said those honest words that she realized if the universe wasn't going to write her a happy ending, then she'd write one herself. However, stubbornness from both herself and Ben got to the best of them and well… so much for a happy ending.

It was, to say the least, tough for her six months ago when Snoke appointed their follow up court date on the same day as her supposed wedding ceremony. But she didn't want it to get to her head. She assumed all those months ago that today would be a good day, a fresh start from a horrible relationship and a poor choice in decisions. Though after getting to know Ben it all changed. She started to believe that the universe was showing her that when one door closes (a broken engagement) another one opens on the same day (a relationship with Ben). However, none of that happiness came to fruition. She wasn't given a fresh start with anyone, not even herself. Instead, she was sitting at a bar with Poe, broodingly thinking about how today was possibly the worst day of her life.

"Hey, you're done with the whole no alcohol thing, right?" he randomly asked her.

"I don't see a reason to keep going," she shrugged.

"Good answer!" Poe immediately grabbed a top shelf bottle of Vodka and poured himself and Rey a half a dozen shots.

Rey picked up her first shot and clinked glasses with Poe.

"Alcohol you bloody temptress," she said before downing the clear liquid. "Christ, I forgot how much this stuff burns."

"Hey, alcohol isn't as bad as you make it to be," he teased.

"You're talking to the wrong person about that," she said as she roughly tossed back her second shot.

"It could've been worse, Rey. But it wasn't." He took another shot as well.

"Poe," she stopped him. "Please don't tell me something cheesy like it brought me to Ben, and he was the best thing to happen to me. I just… I don't want to hear that right now okay?" she mumbled.

"Alright, I won't," he assured her. "But it _is_ magic, though."

They both took a shot of their next round.

"How so?" she asked, wincing from the burning sensation of the vodka sliding down her throat.

He poured them both a fourth shot. Before clinking glasses with her, he thought for a moment. He knew there wasn't much he could say to turn her day around, given the events that occurred. And alcohol clearly wouldn't solve his friend's problems. But Poe knew that while she wanted to be numb of this pain, Rey just needed a friend that evening to remind her that she wasn't going to be alone. Not today. Not ever.

"Well the way I see it… You treat an outside wound with rubbing alcohol, and you treat an inside wound with drinking alcohol. So, here's to you, kiddo."

She smiled at that sentiment and then at her friend.

"Touché," she touched glasses with him.

"Cheers."

* * *

_A/N: As much as I'd love to take credit for Poe's brilliant line, it was actually taken from an episode of the show "New Girl". I may be good at writing banter but I'm nowhere close to that level of genius dialogue lol_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Back To Normal
> 
> "I just don't want to risk getting rejected anymore. I'm tired, man. I'm tired of gambling my own hopes, my own feelings only to lose it all."
> 
> "Maybe this wasn't only about you gambling on yourself."
> 
> "What do you mean?"
> 
> "Maybe it was also about you gambling on Rey. I mean think about it, Ben. Was she worth taking a risk? Is she still worth it?"


	30. Back To Normal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Fun fact - this chapter was not in my original story when I first published. I went back to this fic about a month after I published it and added some more things to the later chapters, wrote an epilogue and wrote this chapter in between the previous and next one. I felt like I rushed to the next chapter from the last one and there needed to be a filler chapter in between the two. So yeah. This is a filler chapter lol Hope you like it...

* * *

**~XXX. Back To Normal~**

**_~i. All Children Grow Up~_ **

When Finn and Rose returned from their trip that Sunday, as promised Poe took Rey over to give the ladies a much needed 'girl talk' while the men ran errands for their movie night and sleepover. Finn opted to pick up dinner and drop by the store to buy an excessive amount of wine for the ladies and action movies for the guys that evening. As for Poe, he was tasked to head over to Ben's loft to finally pick up Rey's things.

"I can't believe Rey - _a woman_ \- only owns these many clothes!" Poe said as he lugged the three medium-sized luggage bags from the bedroom down the hall. He was amazed to learn that all her belongings fit into just three suitcases.

"Yeah well what can you expect? She moved around a lot when she was younger, remember?" Ben figured Poe knew of Rey's fostered youth.

"True," his friend nodded. He stood in the living room with Ben looking around the immediate area. "Did she have anything else?"

"Yeah, just a few things on the shelf over there." He pointed at the wall.

He knew that Rey wouldn't be the one to stop by to gather her things, but Ben still dreaded the day her stuff would be removed from the loft. It just meant that it was really over, and she was completely out of his life.

"Hey man, do you want a beer?" He asked Poe as he walked to the kitchen. He couldn't even bare to look at her things. Yeah, it was that bad.

"You know I'll never say no to a beer," Poe hollered.

Poe quickly grabbed the things he figured belonged to Rey on the bookshelf – most likely the 'British' novels and the photos with her parents and their friends. He picked up the Vegas photo that she and Ben framed and observed it for a moment. He was debating if he should take the photo for Rey to have a memento of this whole ordeal. As much as she says she wants to move on, her friends knew she was still desperate to hold on. My oh my were they drunk out of their minds in this photo, Poe thought to himself. But even a stranger could tell there was a spark between them. Poe chuckled a bit and placed it back on the shelf. He figured Ben should keep this memento since they spent the six months in this loft together, having most of their shared memories in this space.

Once he packed up the books and photos, he got up and walked over to the kitchen island, accepting the cold beverage from his friend.

"Thank god you're done with the whole no alcohol thing too. I mean I got to hand it to you both, you guys stuck it through!" he chuckled.

"Yeah well, I don't see a reason to keep going with that," Ben said before taking a swig.

Poe nearly choked on his beer.

"Whoa man, you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," he coughed, trying to clear his throat. "It's just… Rey literally said the same thing the other night when we were taking shots."

"You two were taking shots?" Ben didn't mean to sound intrusive.

"Don't worry Ben, I would never sleep with my friend's ex-wife," he teased.

"What are you talking about?" Ben tried to be coy.

"Alright," Poe hummed. "I'll just ignore your green-eyed scowl at me just now," he smirked.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Poe," Ben dismissed his friend.

 _Oh Ben, you're so transparent,_ Poe thought to himself. After a couple moments of sipping their beers in silence, Poe decided to speak up. Maybe he could get something out of Ben like he did with Rey.

"Seriously, man. How are you holding up?"

Ben sighed, knowing Poe wasn't going to leave without talking to him about Rey. He spent all weekend talking about it with his parents, Hux and Phasma. It was like they didn't understand that talking about it hurt more than it helped.

"I'm peachy," he said sarcastically.

"Peachy you say?"

"Yep, just peachy… Never better," he said dully.

Poe rolled his eyes. _Alright Solo looks like I'm going to have to squeeze it out of you._

"Do you remember that time when we did that stupid dare at the farmer's market when we were like 13?"

"Oh you mean when Wes Janson tricked us into skating over a stack of orange crates?"

"Yup. Only to have him throw peaches at us and we lost our balance and knocked over Maz Kanata's stack of apples?"

"Oh yeah," Ben winced at that memory. "My mom gave us both a long lecture because she was friends with Maz."

"I could still feel your dad's headlock on my right shoulder," Poe shuddered at the memory of their horrible punishment.

"Dude, me too!" Ben said. "I swear he could have dislocated my shoulder because it hurt for weeks."

"Fucking Janson. Why did we ever listen to him?" Poe snickered.

"Because he was a year older than us and we thought he was cool," Ben replied.

"We were so wrong though because he was not a good influence."

Poe and Ben laughed at that memory.

"Dude we were such little shits back then," Poe chuckled.

"Yeah that's an understatement," Ben agreed.

"I honestly didn't think I'd ever get my act together."

"Yeah well… we all got to grow up some time, right?"

Poe paused for a second, contemplating what Ben just said.

"I don't know, am I really a grown up? I'm an adult legally, but shit, I can't take a real moment seriously without cracking in a joke or two."

"Well you're talking to me pretty seriously, that's a good sign. And you own a bar, Poe. That's a very mature and adult thing to be a business owner."

"Ben, I own a place with access to alcohol let's be real…"

They both laughed.

"Hey just because you're an adult doesn't mean you have to stop having fun or being happy."

"I'll drink to that!"

They clinked bottles and took a swig of their beers. Ben thought about his own maturity for a second.

"Do you… do you think I've grown up?" Ben mumbled. "Like changed since we were kids?"

"I don't know, dude. You were like six feet tall since eighth grade. You've always been a giant to me," Poe kidded.

Ben laughed along with him.

"Come on, man. I'm asking for real."

Poe knew this was his chance to get Ben to open up candidly.

"Well the way I see it, the only way we can grow is if we change. That's not to say that we have to be different people than our true selves. But we grow into the people we were meant to be."

"Ah so I guess I'm a loser."

"No," Poe chucked Ben on the shoulder. "You're a good person."

"A good person?" Ben wasn't convinced.

"Yes dude, you are. And you're caring too. Remember when I showed up here super sloshed and you took care of me?"

"That was more Rey than me doing the caring."

"You helped too. And I heard you tell Rose you would have rather had me here with you guys than alone at my apartment. That's a true blue friend right there. Real mature," he pointed.

"Yeah well I can't risk you gallivanting around Los Angeles in the middle of the night with your chatty drunk ass. You know too many embarrassing stories of my childhood," Ben joked.

"I would never tell anyone about our youthful escapades!" Poe laughed along.

"Yes you would! You're a chatty drunk!"

"See, and this is why you were a good friend and kept me for the weekend," he laughed.

"I guess," Ben shrugged.

"You also helped me with Kaydel," Poe reminded him. "I talked to her once I left here and we agreed to be friends. Now we're going steady. Well, we're trying again with the whole dating thing. She's giving me another chance."

"Good for you, man," he genuinely smiled at his friend.

"Yeah, I'm so lucky. I just don't want to screw this up," Poe confessed.

Ben looked down at his beer bottle, picking at the label while deep in thought.

"Hey, at least you're getting a second chance."

Poe looked over at his suddenly melancholy friend.

"Erm… Are we still talking about Kaydel or… someone else?" he treaded lightly.

Ben sighed. He couldn't hide this from Poe. He was the only one who really knew both sides of the story and both people in this 'relationship'.

"I fucked up, dude."

 _Well he admitted something,_ Poe thought. _That's a start._

"Yeah well… I could've told you that," he lightly joked.

Ben sulked in his seat. No use denying it. He did mess up.

"Hey man, don't beat yourself up too much. It's not entirely your fault. You and Rey both said things in the heat of the moment," Poe tried to console him.

But Ben shook his head in disagreement.

"No. I started the fight. I pissed her off. Said stupid shit. Pushed her away."

"Come on, Ben. Don't say that."

"I missed my chance with her, didn't I?"

"No you didn't, buddy. If you still care, there's still a chance."

Ben got up and started pacing around the kitchen. Was there really still a chance? Did he deserve one?

"You know what... Come to think of it I never even got a real first chance with her. Why even bother asking for a second one?" he asked his friend.

"Because you two deserve a chance. _Period_."

"I don't know, man. It's just gotten too complicated, nothing left to salvage from it."

"If you say so," Poe said plainly.

He looked at his friend quizzically.

"What, you think there is?"

"Ben of course I do. We all do!" Poe exclaimed. "It's just you two that refuse because you're both so damn stubborn!"

It's not like he hadn't heard that before. His parents, Hux and Phasma mentioned it to him all weekend. Even he couldn't deny how pigheaded he had become this whole week.

"I'm scared, Poe," Ben confessed. "I didn't want to hurt her, but I ended up doing it anyways. I was too scared to take that chance."

"Ben," Poe sighed. "If you're not scared, then it's not a chance worth taking. It doesn't make you weak, man. It makes you brave. You have to be scared when you take chances, otherwise what the hell are you doing?"

"Honestly, I just don't want to risk getting rejected anymore. I'm tired, man. I'm tired of gambling my own hopes, my own feelings only to lose it all."

Poe thought for a moment.

"Maybe this wasn't only about you gambling on yourself."

"What do you mean?" Ben was a bit confused by his friend's words.

"Maybe it was also about you gambling on Rey. I mean think about it, Ben. Was she worth taking a risk? _Is_ she still worth it?"

_**~ii. It's OK To Take A Break~** _

Once they were officially separated, things went back to normal - at least as best as it could. Almost two weeks have passed since Rey moved out of the loft. She was crashing on Rose's couch once more but promised to soon find a place to live. Rose of course didn't mind. She would have preferred Rey to be there instead of alone in an empty apartment, especially during this rough time once again.

Ben came clean to Han on the day of the court appearance, and as much as Han wanted to berate his son some more, he felt empathetic and decided against it. That talk at the bar really helped him see his son at a better light. Leia on the other hand was livid. She wasted no mercy and chided him for his foolishness, for his lying, and for hurting Rey. Never mind his poor decisions in Vegas. Leia only cared about the broken heart his son put on himself and his now ex-wife.

As for Rey, the only person she didn't come clean to yet was her boss and anyone else at work who knew about Ben. She wasn't embarrassed, she didn't find the time or think it was important to bring up; also, she'd never officially announced anything to anyone. It was all gossip from revealing it by accident to her boss. But she had some time there as Lando was on a business trip for the next month. As good as that was for her, it only meant that Rey would have to face Leia eventually as their business dealings were still ongoing.

Rey moved from a semiprivate shared office to an upper level corner space of her own when her promotion was official. Snap of course was furious, but at the end of the day he now reported to Rey. That was a sweet victory the day Lando informed him of the new management structure. Rey was able to keep Jess and Jannah as her assistants, and their desks were moved in front of her new office as well.

It was the start of the new school year and their youth program was opening in less than a week with a record 2,000 registrants that signed up. It wasn't as big of a number of say the YMCA, but for a tiny nonprofit it was a milestone. Leia's company, Skywalker Enterprises, was certainly to credit as her partnership with Cloud City was to offer full financial support to over 500 kids in the program. It was the most generous gift any benefactor had ever offered. Luckily, the contract had been signed prior to the incident with Ben, but Rey knew she'd have to speak with Leia someday soon to follow up their partnership.

She didn't think that day would be today. Nor did she think it would have to be in person…

The day started the same - read new contracts, approve benefactor list, and follow up with current accounts. With this promotion it meant more work and more hours spent at the office. Though Rey didn't mind one bit. She was finally doing what she wanted at her job and was loving every second of it. She also took advantage of staying busy with her job so she wouldn't have to think of Ben. It was already hard enough that she never had any real sleep at night when her thoughts haunted her of the man that was once her husband. She didn't want any more of a distraction during the day.

She kept herself busy the entire day until a random knock came from her door.

"Yes?" Rey said, not looking up from a contract she was reviewing.

"Hey Rey, did you have a meeting today for 4 PM?" Jess popped her head inside the space and asked her.

"I don't think so, do I?" She put the stack of papers down, checking the calendar on her computer. There was something blocked off, but she couldn't remember what for.

"Apparently you do. Jannah buzzed me from the lobby saying Leia Solo's here to meet with you."

_SHIT._

Rey froze in her seat, staring blankly at her assistant. Jess didn't know that Leia Solo was the mother of Rey's husband. Well, ex-husband now.

"I don't remember Lando telling us she would drop by while he's away on business. Do you want me to reschedule with her until he gets back?"

"…N-no. No. It's fine. I'm technically in charge of that account," Rey said to her. "Um… yeah, bring her in."

_Okay be cool. Be cool, Rey. I mean, you're just meeting the woman who welcomed you to her family, called you her daughter-in-law, and oh right who you lied to for six months!_

Rey panicked. No, that was just putting it lightly. She was having an anxiety attack. Quickly, she tidied up her desk and tried to busy herself, anticipating the inevitable confrontation with the woman who might expose Rey's secret to her boss and cost her this job.

_Crap, I never thought about that. Welp… there goes my career._

Rey heard Jess making small talk with Leia as she escorted her to her new office.

"Oh yeah, Rey's doing so great as the new director. We're all so happy she got promoted over Snap," Jess giggled.

"Well, she's definitely a determined worker, that's for sure," she heard Leia say.

They reached her door and Rey met face-to-face with Leia for the first time since the court dealings.

"Rey," she calmly said. _Dear God the agony of wondering what her simple tone meant._

Rey stood up from her seat and hastily walked around her desk towards the door.

"Leia, hello," she said curtly.

"Girl, you never told us Ben's mom is Leia Solo!" Jess exclaimed. "No wonder you two got along quick!" she said of Leia's professional relationship with her boss.

"She tries to be modest at work," Leia answered for her.

_Well played, Leia. Well played._

"Thanks Jess. Can you shut the door on your way out?" Rey said quickly, wanting to get this confrontation over with.

"No problem, Rey. See ya."

All too soon, the two women were left alone in her office.

Rey didn't move. She was sure Leia knew everything on the count of Han showing up to their court appearance. There were so many things she wanted to say to Leia. Most importantly, she was full of remorse for lying.

"U-uhm," she tried clearing her voice, but the nerves we so evident. "Please, sit down."

In her new office, there were two armchairs at the corner of the room for casual discussions. She and Leia each took a seat. Leia remained quiet and poised, with an unreadable expression. Not that Rey was actually looking at her. She averted her eyes whenever she happened to glance over at the older woman. Rey was fidgeting with her thumbs again, a nervous hack of hers.

"Rey," Leia said again. This time, Rey looked at her. Square in the eyes. It was the most difficult thing she'd ever done. "You know why I'm here. And it's not because of work."

_Time to face the music._

"Leia, I'm so-"

"Sorry?" she finished for her. "What exactly are you sorry about, dear?"

Her term of endearment crushed Rey. Even after knowing what she and Ben did, Leia was… nurturing her. But what exactly was she sorry for? Because she admitted to Poe the night that he babysat her - with the help of plenty of alcohol - that she didn't regret the time she spent with Ben. No matter the unfortunate outcome.

"I'm- I'm sorry for not being the person you thought I was…" she lowered her head in profound shame. It took all of her might to not shed a tear in front of this woman.

"I've always thought you were smart, headstrong, and confident," she lifted Rey's chin to meet her gaze. "And I still think you're all those things, Rey."

Leia's smile was gentle. She was showing her no contempt. It was at that moment Rey realized that she wasn't there to yell at her or worse, take back her business. Leia was there simply to see how she was doing.

"B-but I lied to you. We lied about everything," Rey was on the verge of tears. She couldn't accept any compliments. Not because of this. Especially not from Leia Solo.

"The only lie I saw was the one you two made for yourselves."

"Huh?"

"Dear, I'm a wife and a mother. There was something between you and my son, whether you care to admit it or not," she pointed.

"Right," Rey replied. Everyone saw it. That was for sure. "So, you're not mad at me?"

"Can't be mad at someone who made my son happy," she smiled at her.

"Leia," Rey blushed. She couldn't take how nice she was being to her.

"Honestly, Rey. You and Ben need to stop punishing yourselves. So you got married by accident. It's all over now. No one's blaming you two for anything."

"I guess not…"

"So please stop wearing yourself down because of this."

"I know, it's just… I don't know. I'm distracted. I'm not feeling myself. I'm still jumbled in the head about the whole thing," she sighed.

"I get that. But don't keep it all jumbled in. It's not healthy."

"You're right," she agreed. "But it's the only way I ever knew how to cope with things. I know it looks like I'm making excuses but… I just..."

"Don't tell me what things look like. Tell me what they are."

"I think I'm just tired, that's all. The mental and physical exhaustion has caught up to me," she replied.

Leia nodded, understanding her emotional exhaustion. A bit of silence passed between them.

"Did you ever love my son?" Leia asked out of nowhere.

Rey glanced at her, shocked. She wasn't sure what the right thing to say was at that moment. She wasn't even sure how to answer it truthfully.

"It doesn't really matter anymore, does it?"

"Of course it does. It always matters."

"Honestly, Leia. I'm too afraid to answer that question to anyone," she admitted.

"Why is that?" Leia frowned.

"Because… I think I'm scared to know if he loved me back."

Rey let out a tired sigh. Finally, the truth came out.

"I understand, dear." she nodded.

The ambiguity Rey tried to protrude couldn't have been any clearer. Leia completely understood. She and Rey felt a bit at ease for the first time that afternoon. The two ladies sat comfortably in silence for a bit.

"So, um…." Rey was nervous to ask her question.

"You can ask me, go ahead. I won't bite," the older woman lightly chuckled.

"How's Ben doing?" she was finally able to say.

"Oh you know my son, he's coping the only way he knows how. By shutting us out. He's probably opened up to you more than he's ever opened up to anyone."

"I'm sure he talks to you about things. Hux and Phasma too."

"Of course he does, but he's very selective." Leia said. "And don't think I didn't notice your brief interactions. My son trusted you. He still does, I bet. It only makes sense that he was able to open up to you with ease."

"So he hasn't talked to anyone since?"

"He's spoken to me and Han. Technically Han forced him to tell us everything. And I know his friends are consoling him the best they can. The most we got out of him these past couple weeks was that he showed up to dinner last night with his friends. I don't think he's left the loft since."

"Oh…"

"If it helps, dear. He seems to be alright. He's keeping himself busy with his pilot's exam."

"That's great to hear. I really hope he gets it."

"Me too. That way Ben and Han would stop arguing about it."

"Well Ben loves the pilot life. I'm sure he'll get his license soon."

"I just hope he doesn't give up again. He said something last night that none of us were quite sure what he meant."

"Oh?" Rey was curious.

"Han offered him his old job back for the time being," Leia shared. "But Ben refused saying something along the lines of not doing anything and being happy over doing something he doesn't love. Something like that. It was a bit ambiguous, but he didn't elaborate on it."

Rey smiled to herself. She knew exactly what he said. She had told him those words all those months ago…

_***Flashback to dinner at Han and Leia's the night before*** _

" _It's so great that you all get to have dinner with us tonight," Leia acknowledged Ben and his friends._

_Ben had not left his loft ever since the day of the court appearance. Han took him to a bar so he could try to console his son. Then later Leia met them at the loft, and he made Ben explain the whole story to them again. After a very long discussion - with yelling and crying from Leia - eventually his parents hugged him and left, leaving Ben to cope his own way. The next day, Hux and Phasma came over so he could talk to them, though he didn't say much. Instead, they stayed over and dropped by every day for the next two weeks to ensure he didn't fall into a deep depression. The only time he left his apartment was on his assigned testing day for his pilot's exam. By some miracle, Ben passed with flying colors. Despite his depression, everything stuck in his mind. All those months of studying with Rey actually paid off. His friends wanted to go out and celebrate but of course Ben declined._

_After much convincing, Ben decided to come out from his self-isolation and go with Hux and Phasma to his parents' house for dinner that evening. Not only was it a subtle way to celebrate his achievement, but Hux made a good point that if he didn't see his parents any time soon, they'd make the trek to his loft. So he grudgingly obliged._

" _Thanks for inviting us for dinner tonight, Leia. That was very kind of you," Phasma said._

" _Well it was the only way Ben would come," Han grunted. "But we like you kids too so it's certainly the more the merrier!"_

" _Appreciate that, sir," Hux chuckled._

_Phasma helped Leia bring over the dishes and everyone dug in. Ben may have accepted to come to dinner, but that didn't mean he was in the mood to be chatty. He stayed quiet for most of the meal while the others engaged in small talk._

" _So Hux, how's that that tenure thing going at the Academy?" Han asked._

" _It's going well, sir. A different feeling, but it helps me be more at ease with my research knowing I've got the full support of the university."_

" _That's great," Leia said to him. Then she turned to Phasma. "And what about you, dear? How's everything?"_

" _It's going well," Phasma said. "I'm finally done with my portfolio that I'm able to send it to more firms. Hopefully I'll get picked up by a company, but until then I've got enough freelance work to keep me busy."_

" _I could always use a photographer for our community events," Leia suggested._

" _Count me in anytime!" the two women clinked wine glasses._

_It was hard not to notice Ben's silence and it was getting difficult to even get him to talk. Leia nudged Han to make a gesture for the sake of everyone at the table._

" _Erm, ahemmm," he cleared his throat roughly. Even Ben couldn't ignore it as he looked up from his half-eaten steak at his father._

" _So, uh… how's everything with you, son? How's that pilot class thing going?"_

_Ben leaned back in his seat and smeared the mashed potatoes on his plate with his fork, not wanting to talk, but knowing he'd have to say something so he could hurry up and end the conversation._

" _It's still going, Dad," Ben answered simply._

_Leia, Hux and Phasma sat quietly as the two Solo men continued their forced discussion._

" _Okay, where are you in your studying? Have you done any of the exams yet?"_

" _I just passed the written test."_

" _Honey that's great," Leia patted her son's hand. He looked at her, weakly smiling in appreciation._

" _Good for you, son," Han was actually impressed. Ben never made it this far in the past. It was a real achievement. "Who's helping you with your training hours?"_

" _I called Wedge at the airfield to help me out if you don't mind. I'll pay for the rental of a craft too."_

" _Don't worry about it, son."_

" _Thanks," he said plainly._

" _How many hours do you need before going on a checkride?" Han asked him._

" _About 40 hours," Ben said. "Wedge is pretty busy, but he'll open up his schedule for me soon. 'Til then, I'll probably keep studying for the oral exam. Maybe get all my hours done in a month or two."_

" _I'll tell you what, son. Why don't you come back to the airfield and take your old job back? That new guy Randy isn't the brightest apple. I could sure use you in the control tower again. That way you've got stuff to do while you study for your next exams."_

" _Oh sweetheart that's a wonderful idea," Leia said to her husband. She turned to her son. "What do you say, Ben?"_

 _Ben thought for a moment. On one hand, he could use the distraction. And although it wasn't the best job, he knew it well. But on the other hand, he'd been working so hard to get his license so he wouldn't be stuck at the control tower for the rest of his life. He knew if he took it back, he'd become complacent and he did not want to give this up. Not this time._ _**He made a promise.** _

" _Thanks dad, but I'm going to have to pass on that," he surprised everyone with his decision._

" _W-what?" Han wasn't expecting a 'no' from him._

" _It's just," Ben placed his fork down and sat up straighter in his chair. "If I do that, I'll be honest with you, I might give up on my dreams of ever becoming a pilot. I've come this far… I'm not stopping now."_

_Again, they were surprised by his confession. It was very mature of him to admit all that._

" _Look I respect that, Ben," Han replied, "But I'm just trying to help you out for the time being. You know, to have a steady paycheck and have something to do."_

" _I get that, dad. But I don't need to have something to do. I'm fine with what I'm doing now. And I'm fine with using my free time to study."_

" _So what? You're just going to bum around and do nothing until you get your license? That's not really a productive use of your time, Ben," Han was starting to get frustrated._

_Leia glared at her husband, subtly warning him not to lose his cool in front of everyone. Ben unexpectedly chuckled to himself because he had a good answer to that. It confused everyone of his behavior._

" _I'd rather do nothing and be happy than be doing something I know don't love."_

_While everyone around the table was muddled by this ambiguity of words, Ben smiled to himself knowing the significance of it all… and the person who helped him realize it._

_***End Flashback*** _

"-what it means?"

She looked over and a familiar glassy expression was on Rey's face.

"Rey, dear?" Leia waved a hand in front of her.

"Oh sorry, Leia. Was just lost in thought." Rey shook herself back to attention.

"It's alright. Was just hoping you were able to clarify for me what Ben meant by all that."

Rey lightly chuckled before answering.

"Must be something he really stands behind. Doing what you love, no matter the shortcomings… Words to live by."

She smiled again to herself. This time Leia noticed. As she suspected, her son had changed for the better, and it was because of this woman.

Leia got ready to leave moments later, assuring Rey countless times that their personal life will not affect their business relationship. Rey thanked and hugged her, apologizing again for the inconvenience of it all.

"Rey," Leia said before stepping out of her office.

"Yes Leia?"

"Maybe you should take some time for yourself. Rest and recharge."

"I don't know…"

"It's OK to take a break," Leia gently smiled. "You really need to care for your mental health as well. I know the strain this has caused you both."

"If I take a break, it'll just make me miss him more," she confessed.

"Well that's the plan," Leia teased. Rey lightly chuckled.

"I don't know. We'll see. Maybe I'll take just one day off to de-stress."

"Good girl," Leia said. "Take care of yourself, dear."

"I will, thanks."

Once Leia departed Rey flopped back in her desk chair. She let out a breathy sigh, relieved to have that confrontation over with. _Maybe she's right_ , Rey thought. _Maybe I need a break_.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Saving What You Love
> 
> "Do you love her?"
> 
> "What?" he said nervously.
> 
> "No. Enough with the bullshit. Do you love her?"
> 
> "Phas-"
> 
> "Do. You. Love. Her?" she said again.
> 
> He glanced between his two friends, paused a bit then slowly nodded.
> 
> "Then go tell her."


	31. Saving What You Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The last few chapters have been a handful of drama, huh? Here's some hope for you... and some funny one liners ;)
> 
> I like to bring my stories full circle somehow, so in the coming chapters you're going to recall bits from earlier subplots. Enjoy!

* * *

**~XXXI. Saving What You Love~**

_**~i. Drunk In Love~** _

_I love this feeling, But I hate this part. I wanted this to work so much, I drew up our plans on a chart. Cars are flipping, I'm in hot pursuit. My character's strong but my head is loose. She hits like ecstasy. Comes up and bangs the sense out of me-_

"Really Ben? The Wombats? How apropos," Phasma teased him.

She picked up the album cover from the coffee table and examined the sleeve, breaking him from his absorption of the tune blasting from his record player.

"What? They're stuff's catchy."

"And British," she added.

"Yeah, and? I can't listen to them because they're British? I listen to Radiohead too and they're British. Aren't your grandparents from your mother's side from the UK too?"

"Calm down, I'm not saying you can't listen to them, listen to whomever you want. Hux listens to his Irish river dance music from time to time."

"Babe! That's supposed to be our little secret!" Hux's face almost flushed as red as his hair.

Ben laughed at this revelation.

"I love all kinds of music," he assured his friends.

"You do, yes," she nodded.

It was true, Ben had a versatile playlist. One moment he could be listening to The Temptations, the next Chevelle, then finish a playlist with Whitney Houston.

"All I'm saying is, it's kind of ironic that you're listening to them right now given your mood lately. Or maybe it's a coincidence, who knows what you're thinking. And this song too of all things."

"God here you go again finding double meaning to lyrics," Ben rolled his eyes at her.

"It's not really double meaning when the lines ' _ **she really wants to make it work, and I clearly want to let it start**_ _'_ are so blatantly obvious," she laughed at him.

"Fine," Ben quickly turned off the record player and hit the tuner to the radio. "Let's listen to some good old fashioned garbage then."

He wasn't a fan of radio music. That's not to say he hated new songs. He liked a couple current artists, but the radio overplayed everything. Don't even get him started on the commercials...

A familiar R&B song roared to life on his speakers.

"Hey, Beyoncé is _not_ garbage!" Hux recognized the singer of the tune immediately.

Ben and Phasma looked at one another and burst into laughter, they would have never guessed that Hux of all people listened to Beyoncé.

"I swear sometimes I don't know him," she teased about her boyfriend.

"Turn it up, it's the perfect song to drink to!" Hux hollered from the kitchen.

"Seriously dude?" Ben said before turning the dial a couple notches.

"The title speaks for itself, 'Drunk in Love', duh," Hux chuckled as he walked over and settled on the couch next to his girlfriend. He may have already had a few beers in him than his friends. The man was riding a nice buzz, unfazed by Ben's moodiness that day.

Ben and Phasma rolled their eyes, settling into their seats and listening to Hux's secret love for this singer on a lazy Saturday afternoon. The three of them had similar taste in music - the rock genre mainly - but Hux also had an affinity for rap and the occasional hip hop more than Ben and Phasma. For a man who used way too much gel on his clean cut hair and starched all his slacks and collared shirts, no one would ever guess that he occasionally let loose with rhythmic vibes.

After the eventful dinner at Ben's parents' house a couple of nights ago, his friends decided it would be best to keep him busy and not mope around too much. He never talked about his situation with Rey after the day of court, and the most he'd ever spoken about it was over dinner at his parents' house. They didn't push him. Not until he was ready to talk. _If he was ever ready to talk._

Ben's phone rang and he got up from the couch to go to the computer desk to answer it.

" _Hello?"_

" _Ben, Sabine here."_

" _Hey Sabine. What's going on?"_

Phasma recognized the attorney's name when he spoke it aloud. Curious, she got up and walked over to the kitchen, leaving her boyfriend to enjoy his upbeat dance music.

" _Good news. We're about done with the papers to process your annulment."_

_He wouldn't really call that 'good news', but Sabine didn't know._

" _So everything's good? Is it official?" he asked hesitantly._

" _Not yet. Apparently, there was a form you and Ms. Andor missed. Don't worry, the packet was big. This was a random page where we needed both your signatures. I called her attorney and I can send her the signed copy once you fill it out. Is that alright?"_

" _Uh, yeah sure." He said plainly._

" _Great. I'll email you the page. Fill out your portion, send it to my office then I'll send it to the other attorney. Hopefully by Monday you and Ms. Andor will be finished with all this."_

" _Alright, Sabine. Thanks."_

" _Have a nice weekend, Ben."_

_*click*_

"Everything alright?" Phasma appeared beside him.

Ben was absently staring at his phone when she spoke up. He turned to her blankly.

"Yeah," he shook his head from his thoughts. "Just got to fill out a form that Rey and I forgot to sign and send it back to my attorney."

"It's not official yet?" she was a tad surprised.

"Not yet. But once we sign this it will be," he said dully.

As much as she and Hux were giving him space and allowing him to cope his way, Phasma was itching to talk to him. She knew Ben regretted the whole thing. Getting the annulment, not the marriage thing. She knew he felt something for Rey, but she also knew he was too mulish to admit anything. She was desperate to reach out to him.

Ben sat at his computer chair, checked his email and printed said form to fill out. Phasma watched as he wrote in the basic information – his name, the date, and several boxes to check off. Then she saw how he hesitated, hovering his pen above the line where he was supposed to sign his name to accept the document. He was struggling to land the pen to paper, his hand shaking in midair. He took in a deep breath and forced himself to just sign the damn thing and finally move on. But before his pen could touch a hard surface, Phasma snatched the paper away from him.

"Hey what the hell?!" he said incredulously. "What are you doing?"

"I'm saving you from making another wrong decision."

"What the hell are you talking about it, Phasma?" He asked in frustration.

"Ben," she sighed before she began. "Don't do this. You're making a huge mistake."

"Phas," he grunted. "This whole thing was a mistake from the start. We're finally getting the chance to fix it. Now give it back. Sabine's expecting me to send it to her right away."

"This doesn't fix anything if you still want to be with her," Phasma tried to reason.

"Look I appreciate your help. But I need to fill that paper out and sent it back to Sabine as soon as possible," he flatly spoke.

"Ben!" Phasma screeched. He was being extremely difficult. "How can you be so casual about something as important as love?!"

She walked over to the kitchen island, placed the form down and slumped onto a stool. Why was he being so stubborn? Why couldn't he just admit his feelings?

"What are you talking about?! I didn't love Rey!" his voice roared throughout the loft. He wasn't afraid to argue with Phasma about this. Enough was enough.

"Yes you did! You were in love with her!" Phasma screamed, slamming her hands on the counter. Ben's denial reached her last bit of patience.

"Getting drunk, hooking up and accidentally getting married doesn't really equate to love," he retorted.

"You say that, but six months went by and you two eventually did."

"No, six months of sobriety showed us that we _clearly_ made a huge mistake!"

"You didn't need alcohol to feel inebriated around Rey, buddy. You were drunk in love," Hux said coolly as he walked to the refrigerator to grab a snack for himself and beers for everyone. "Don't underestimate the power of Beyoncé," he lightly teased.

"Dude shut up!" "Babe be quiet!" they both yelled at the redhead.

"Jeez, gang up on me why don't you," he laughed, unfazed by their raised voices and proceeded to find a snack, whistling to himself.

"And no I wasn't," Ben grumbled to Phasma. He slouched further into his seat.

"Yes you were, Ben. Why is that so hard to admit?" Phasma said calmly as she went back over to sit next to him, grabbing a chair from the breakfast table. "The giddiness, stolen glances, the butterflies. I know you felt that."

"That doesn't mean it was love," he crossed his arms. After a moment, "Does it?"

Phasma chuckled at him. There it was, vulnerable Ben.

"Hux is right. You didn't sip a drop of alcohol for six months, but you saw the world through rose colored glasses when you were around her. That's why you're still in pain. You miss her."

Ben didn't respond, but he certainly nodded. It was the first time he openly acknowledged anything about his feelings for Rey in front of Phasma. This was her chance to get through to him.

"Why don't you go to her and tell her you miss her."

"I don't think she wants to talk to me."

"Ben, this is Rey. You know her more than me. If even just an ounce of hope in you knows she felt something, then you and I both know she does want to talk," she pointed.

"What if it's not meant to be? You know, me and Rey?" his doubts were surfacing again.

"Do you think you two are meant to be together?" she asked.

She expected him to retort, but his response surprised her.

"I mean, I want to believe we are…" he said timidly.

It was the first ever sign of hope that came from Ben.

"You do?" she asked grippingly.

He thought for a moment about what he said. Then he looked up at his friend.

"Yeah, I mean with all the shit that happened to us. Getting double booked, hooking up, getting married – it seemed like a string of bad luck at first. But then I thought… maybe this was a sign that we're meant to be in each other's lives."

Phasma cracked a smile on her lips, proud of Ben for finally coming to grips of this whole ordeal.

"Well if it's meant to be then stop doubting," she patted his arm. "Just trust yourself."

Hux came over to the pair with three uncapped bottles of beer in his hands.

"Here ya go, man," he offered the beer to his friend while he bit into an apple. But Ben didn't take it. He was still lost in thought with what Phasma said.

"Ben? Hello?" Hux waved a hand over his face.

He shook himself out of his catatonic state and looked at Hux confused.

"Uh, is he ok?" he asked his girlfriend, handing her a bottle as well.

Phasma signaled to her boyfriend to pause for a moment as she was trying to get through to their friend. This was the furthest she's ever gotten him to talk about Rey.

"Ben."

Still muddled in the head, he managed to look at Phasma.

"Do you love her?"

"What?" he said nervously.

"No. Enough with the bullshit. Do you love her?"

Ben heavily sighed. "Phas-"

But she cut him off.

"Do. You. Love. Her?" She said again.

He glanced between his two friends, paused a bit then slowly nodded.

Hux, finally caught up with things, looked over at his girlfriend and they both smirked. Phasma then turned back to Ben and smiled.

"Then go tell her."

_**~ii. The Chase~** _

Ben left Phasma and Hux at his loft, intent on finding Rey and telling her once and for all everything he felt in Vegas, the six months they lived together – _everything_. He wasn't sure where she'd be, so he thought the first place to look was at her office. Even though it was a Saturday, knowing Rey she probably went to work to busy herself. Fortunately, he remembered where it was from when he bumped into her and they had their 'almost date'. Ben was hoping after all this that he would be able to take her out on a real date. Especially since they never got to go on their first one.

He took an Uber to her office in Mid-City and arrived at the front of the building about fifteen minutes later. Recognizing one of the girls at the front desk, he walked up to her.

"Excuse me," He said nervously.

She looked up at him.

"Well if it isn't Ben," Jannah smiled at him. "The _roommate_ ," she smirked.

 _Weird_ , Ben thought. He assumed she would yell at him. Then again, maybe Rey didn't bother to tell anyone at work about their separation. If she didn't, he was thankful. It would make the next thing easier for him to ask.

"Jannah, right?"

"Aw, you're a sweetheart for remembering," she giggled. "How can I help you, hon?"

Before Ben got a chance to ask for Rey's whereabouts, her other assistant Jess stepped out of the elevator and walked over to them.

"Ben! Hello!" she greeted him excitedly. "Are you here to pick up your mother?"

"My mother?" he was so confused.

"Yes, Leia Solo is here. She's at Rey's office. You can go there if you want. Third floor, door at the end of the hallway on your left," Jess said.

"Thank you," he replied hurriedly.

Ben made a beeline towards the elevators to the third floor and took Jess' directions to find her office. What he found when he reached the door was a surprise. Instead of seeing Rey, his mother was the lone occupant in the space.

"Mom?"

"Ben!" Leia was just as surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here? This is Rey's office."

"I know that, son," Leia chuckled. "That's why I'm here. Did you forget that she and I are working together?"

"No, I know that," he argued. "What I'm saying is why are you here and where is Rey?"

"Well I'm here because she let me use her office while she's out. Can't get much done at my own office when many of the information I need is on her files. After all, I'm collaborating with her company, not the other way around," she informed him. "I've been working with Jess and Jannah all day if you must know."

"Wait… what do you mean she's out?" Ben caught the first part and only that.

"She's not here, son," Leia said simply. "And may I ask why you're here?"

Ben shut the door behind him before taking a seat in front of the desk to face his mom.

"Because I want to talk to her," he shared.

"About what, Ben?" Leia asked, though she obviously knew why.

"Mom," he whined.

"Nope," she shook her head, leaned back on the chair and crossed her arms. "I'm not telling you a thing until you talk to me first."

"Augh, you make things so difficult," he grunted.

"I'm a mother, that's what I do," she smirked at him. "Now… talk."

"Are you really going to make me say this?" he tried desperately to get out of this conversation.

"You can leave if you want, but you'll not know where to go." Leia was good at keeping the ball in her court.

"Fine. I'm trying to get Rey back. Are you happy?" he flailed his arms in the air.

Even if this was a very important quest, he was still riddled with embarrassment telling his mother about his feelings for a girl.

"Not quite," she said simply.

"Huh?" he didn't expect that response.

Leia got up from the desk chair and walked over to Ben. Even standing, the woman was so short she only hovered barely a foot over him. She looked at her son dead in the eyes and for a moment it was as if they shared an unspoken conversation, seeing each other and understanding everything.

Then she pinched his shoulder real hard.

"Ow!" Ben cringed at the contact, grabbing at his left shoulder.

"That's for lying to me and your father about this whole thing."

She pinched his other shoulder this time.

"Ow! Mom stop it!" he tended to the other one.

"That's for hurting Rey and letting her get away."

Ben waited for her next strike. He didn't have any more shoulders, so he was a bit frightened by where she'd harm him next.

This time though, Leia stepped forward and placed a delicate kiss atop her son's head.

Okay, now Ben was _really_ confused.

"That being said, I'm happy that you've finally come to your senses, sweetheart."

Ben smiled at his mother.

"So… where is she?" he asked politely.

"Oh, I don't know, hon," she simply replied, walking back and sitting at the desk.

Ben let out an annoyed growl.

"Why torture me then?" he scowled.

"Because I'm your mother, I thought I already clarified my actions?" she grinned at him.

"Ugh this is not how I thought it would be," he buried his face in his hands.

Leia sighed, deciding to give her son a break.

"I spoke with Rey a couple days ago. She was a bit overwhelmed with everything too, dear. So, I suggested she take a break. Some time off to cool down and clear her mind," she told him. "I wish I can tell you more, but she called me the next morning and told me she'd be taking a couple personal days off. She offered me the keys to her office as well as Jess and Jannah's assistance until she returned."

He slowly nodded, accepting the reason for her absence. Leia frowned at her son's disconsolate expression.

"She was adamant in actually going somewhere. I'm sure she's just staying in bed and resting. Do you know where she's living now?" she suggested.

"I guess I could try Rose's apartment."

That wasn't a bad idea, and a good place to go next. He thanked his mother and hugged her before leaving.

"Ben dear," Leia said before he stepped out.

"Yeah mom?"

"You better not lose her this time," she winked at her son.

"I won't," he smiled at her.

Next stop: Rose's apartment.

~.~.~.~

_Smack!_

"Ow! Why is everyone hitting me today?!" Ben grabbed once again at his shoulder.

_Smack!_

"Rose please! I come in peace!" he begged. He wasn't sure his bruised shoulders could take any more hits.

"Sorry, I just needed to get that out of my system," Rose said, stepping aside to let Ben enter her apartment.

He walked inside and turned to her once she closed the door.

_Smack!_

"PLEASE STOP!"

"Sorry. Last one," she promised.

She motioned for them to sit at the couch.

"Wait, how did you know where I live?" she wondered how he even thought to show up at the right place.

"Rey's mail got forwarded from this address. I just took a shot."

"Makes sense," she believed him. "But what if it was Hobbie's address?"

"Well then it would've been a win-win anyway. I'd have junk-punched him the moment I saw him."

Rose giggled. "Finn and Poe would be so devastated if you did that without them."

Ben settled on the couch and fidgeted nervously for a moment.

"Um, is Rey-" he started to ask but she cut him off.

"If you're expecting me to know where she is, you're shit out of luck because she's not here and didn't tell me where she was going."

"Wait, she actually left?" Ben was surprised. He could have sworn what his mother said about her just staying at home would be correct.

"Yeah, it shocked me too. Thought she was going to mope around here for a few days when she told me she was using vacation time. But this morning she had a backpack ready and left me a note saying she'll be back soon. She's never that vague."

"Well… shit."

"My thoughts exactly."

Ben could not catch a break that day. _This could be sign,_ he thought. Maybe it was the universe telling him that it was too late for him and Rey. Or maybe the universe was telling him they were not meant to be together. Perhaps he should stop this ridiculous trek around Los Angeles for someone who clearly didn't want to see him or be found.

"It was real you know…" Rose muttered.

"Huh?" he furrowed his brows at her words.

"All of it. For Rey… these past six months were real for her. She told me."

Ben didn't reply, but he nodded blankly at her words.

"Was it real for you?"

It was quiet for a moment before he answered her.

"It was."

Then Ben did something that he nor Rose expect himself to do. He poured his heart out.

"From the moment we met, I felt something with her. I really did. I can't explain it. And I barely said two words to her. Then when you came out of the bathroom and knocked me over with your straightener -which by the way, nice swing," Rose chuckled at his remark, "-I swear you knocked the sense into me and at that moment I was forever hooked on Rey," he confessed to her best friend. "I still am."

Rose giddily smiled at his words.

"Damn you, Ben Solo. Now I feel bad for hitting you," she lightly joked.

Rose didn't need an explanation. She knew Ben enough to know he was genuine just like Rey. She thought he and Rey were perfect for one another because of that. Which was why as hard as it was, she felt like she had to tell him this next thing even though she knew it would hurt him.

"She was supposed to get married you know. To her ex."

"I know, she told me," he said. "And I know I ruined that dream for her in Vegas."

"I don't know. I mean I know it's not every girl's dream to get blackout drunk when she ties the knot," she made them both laugh. "But it _is_ every girl's dream to marry the one she was meant to be with."

"Are you saying she was supposed to be with Hobbie?" Ben started to feel crushed. He could have sworn Rose was on their side.

"No of course not, he's a moron," she corrected that notion immediately. "What I'm saying is that maybe she didn't see it at first. But at the end of it all she realized that she did have the wedding she wanted because she got to marry you."

"I'm not so sure I made things better for her," he sadly replied.

"Ben," she got him to look up at her. "She was supposed to marry Hobbie on the day of your annulment."

He. Was. Speechless. Why didn't she say anything? Why did he not know about this until now? _FUCK_. This just got harder.

"What was supposed to be the happiest day of her life… still ended up being her worst. And I'm not talking about Hobbie."

He looked at her and was on the verge of tears, but he bit his cheek to hold them back.

"You could've turned it all around for her that day, Ben."

"You don't know that…"

"Poe does. He told me and Finn. Rey confessed to him that she was hoping that by the time the court date rolled around that maybe something good would come between you two. And that her supposed wedding date would finally stop haunting her because that would be the day you two decided to be together and not get the annulment. She's a dreamer, our little Rey," Rose shared.

A silent beat passed between them.

"I fucked up, didn't I?" he said to her.

"Don't sell yourself short," Rose patted Ben's shoulder and gently smiled at him. "You both did."

He sadly chuckled at her remark.

"I'm running out of places to go. I was sure she'd be here."

"Why don't you ask Poe? He and Rey talked a lot that weekend. I'm sure she may have said something to him or maybe he suggested something to her," she offered to help.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt," he said. "Is he at the Cantina?"

"Yup. I'll go with you. I need a drink with all this drama!" she giggled. "Plus, Finn is there so he can take me home after."

They got up from the couch and Rose promptly ordered a ride for them. Luckily, she lived in a very busy area, East Hollywood, so the driver was only three minutes away.

As they waited outside for the Uber to approach her building, Rose turned to him.

"Hey Ben?"

"Yeah?"

"If you break my best friend's heart again, I'll junk punch you myself," she smugly grinned at him.

"Duly noted," he chuckled.

~.~.~.~

Ben and Rose arrived at the Cantina about a half hour later. Finn was at the bar with Poe and Kaydel, the three were engaged in a light conversation. When they spotted the group, they hurried over and Ben went straight to business.

"Poe! I need to talk to you."

"Hello to you too, buddy," he chuckled.

"I'd watch it Poe. Lover boy here doesn't have the patience for teasing," Rose said to him. She greeted her boyfriend and Kaydel before taking a seat at the bar.

"You in a hurry to be somewhere?" Kaydel asked him.

"Yes, and I think Poe can help me," Ben said.

"What can I do you for, brother?" Poe offered cheerfully.

"Where's Rey?"

"I knew he'd ask that," Finn chuckled. Poe and Kaydel nodded in agreement. "Is there a reason you're looking for her?"

"Aw come on, you guys know why," Ben was feeling embarrassed again. He already involved everyone today, but his personal feelings were still something he wanted to keep private.

"Not until you say it," Poe sing-songed teasingly.

"Jesus did my mother put you guys up to this?" he rolled his eyes, avoiding the situation. They all laughed.

"Rey told us how she felt, it's only right that you tell us how you feel too. So we know you're not going to hurt her again," Finn explained.

Well he already looked like a complete maniac to his friends running around all day. Why not be a love-sick maniac while he was at it?

"I didn't want to hurt her in the first place, Finn. I love her."

"EEEEEP!" Kaydel and Rose squealed, hands over their mouths, grinning from cheek to cheek.

"And the truth comes out," Poe coolly said, crossing his arms and smiling at his friend.

"About damn time," Finn high-fived Poe.

"So… will you help me out?" Ben politely asked them.

All too soon, the smiles faded from everyone's faces.

"I wish I could help you man, but she didn't say anything to me. And there was nothing in our talks that I could think of to help you find her," Poe said apologetically as he wiped down the counter in front of him.

Ben's desperation reached its end, his acceptance of failure started to overtake him.

"We're sorry, Ben," Rose patted his arm. "We really wish we could help you."

He nodded understandingly. He knew all about wanting to be alone, and with Rey not telling anyone, he accepted that she wanted her space. This was a dead end.

He turned to his oldest friend once more.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" He knew it was an empty question to ask Poe, but he had nothing else in him.

They all noticed his sullen expression. But no one was able to help him. Rey ghosted everyone.

"I don't know, Ben," Poe sighed in frustration. "If you were sad and wanted to be happy again, where would you go?"

Suddenly it all became clear. It was as if Poe revealed the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. Well, it helped him find his answer at least.

"You're a GENIUS. Thanks buddy!" he hollered.

Ben dug for his phone in his pocket and struggled to turn it on.

"Shit, my phone died. Can I use your phone?" he asked Poe.

"Yeah, use the wall phone at the front," he instructed him. "Kay, can you help him out?"

She nodded and gestured for Ben to follow. He wasted no time and hurried over with her to the front of the restaurant to make a call.

"He thinks I'm a genius," Poe bragged happily.

"Like we need another reason for your ego to grow," Rose rolled her eyes.

"I'll take that as a compliment," he teased his friend.

"Yeah, yeah smarty pants. How about you pour me another beer then?" Finn chuckled.

"Make that two!" Rose requested.

Poe chuckled and started to fill their mugs. Then a horrible thought occurred in his mind.

"Dear god I hope Rey didn't go back to Vegas!" he said in sheer terror.

"Well you were a genius for 30 seconds," Finn joked.

"That's a new record!" his girlfriend chimed in.

It took a minute for Ben to remember the number he needed to dial, but when he did, thankfully he got an answer right away.

" _Hello?"_

" _Hux! It's me Ben."_

" _Hey man, where are you?"_

" _I'm at the Cantina. Phone died. Using the bar phone. Are you still at my loft?"_

" _Yup. Was waiting for you to come back. If you don't mind, we ate like half your snacks in the pantry. Needed to tame my buzz."_

" _I don't care," he dismissed, "I'm going to need you and Phasma to come down here."_

" _Yeah sure. We'll leave right now." Hux was a bit concerned hearing Ben like this. "Are you alright?"_

" _I'm fine. Just been running around all day. Oh and before you go, can you grab something for me?"_

~.~.~.~

While they waited for Hux and Phasma, Ben caught everyone up to the current status of their annulment. Naturally, Kaydel and Rose cooed at Ben's resolve to find Rey and they were all pleased to hear that the annulment was still not final. There was still hope. When the couple arrived, Poe, Finn, Rose, and Kaydel were sitting around the bar casually. Ben on the other hand was tapping his hands and feet erratically.

"Hey guys, got here as soon as we could, what's going on?" Hux wondered.

"I don't know. I said something brilliant and the man went crazy," Poe humble-bragged.

Ben shot up from his seat, causing everyone to turn to his direction.

"Whoa, Ben. You're jumpy. Are you alright?" Phasma asked him.

"No, yeah I'm fine. Just got a lot going on up here," he pointed at his cranium.

"Take a breather before you pass out," Phasma suggested.

"No thanks," He said.

"Ben, you're scaring us," Rose said aloud. "Are you okay?"

He looked at everyone, took a deep breath like Phasma asked, and spoke up.

"I'm sorry. I just- I don't have time to explain. I don't want to waste any more time."

"You're not making any sense, but okay?" Phasma replied.

"Can I borrow your car?" he asked Hux.

"You don't seem like you're in the right state of mind to be driving," Hux was concerned.

"I am. I just need to go somewhere."

"Where?" Hux asked.

"He's trying to find Rey," Poe reminded everyone.

"No shit, Sherlock," Finn slapped the back of his head. "Hux meant if Ben knew where she was. I thought you were a genius?"

"OW!" Poe slapped Finn back, the two men lightly bantering. Kaydel and Rose tried to pry them apart.

Ignoring them, Ben asked Hux again.

"I really need your car, man."

"Do you even know where she is?" Phasma asked.

"I do."

All side conversations ended abruptly. They all once again gave their attention to Ben.

"You do?" Rose said.

Everyone was surprised. Rey didn't tell a single person where she had gone.

"Yes," he said simply. "Hux, did you bring what I asked?"

His friend nodded and fished out the picture frame Ben asked him to grab from the bookshelf and handed it over. Poe didn't know it was Rey's when he packed her things, so it stayed behind. When Ben found it on the shelf that night, he didn't have the heart to ask Poe to come back for it. He kept it instead, the last reminder of Rey in his loft.

"Is that Rey's?" Rose recognized the photo immediately.

"You think she's there?" Finn wondered.

"Yes, I do," Ben was confident.

"How do you know?" Poe asked.

"Because he just does, you guys," Kaydel smiled at Ben. She wasn't close enough as any of them were with each other, but she knew a grand gesture when she saw one.

Ben looked at Kaydel and the two shared curt nods. He appreciated that someone was on his side. "Thank you," he mouthed to her. She winked at him encouragingly.

"Where is that?" the photographer in Phasma wondered aloud.

No one knew where Rey had taken that photo. She went there alone and never shared the location with anyone.

"No idea. But I'm going to find it."

"If you take my car, how are Phasma and I supposed to get home?" Hux wondered.

"We'll take you guys home," Finn offered.

Hux nodded, but he still wasn't sure that Ben was in the right state to do this alone.

"Let's us go with you at least, buddy," he offered.

"Yeah, we'll all go together. Help you bring Rey back," Rose agreed.

"Please you guys," he begged. "I need to do this myself."

"We just don't want anything bad to happen to you, Ben," Phasma was still worried about him.

They all looked at him with great concern. He knew they meant well, but this was the most important thing he was going to do. And it needed to be done his way.

"I need to go to Rey," he firmly stood his ground. "And I have to do it alone."

They weren't sure if this was a good idea. They weren't even sure if Rey would actually be where Ben thought she'd be. But Kaydel once again glanced at the group and encouraged them all to trust this man who was putting his heart on his sleeve. This was a grand gesture. Ben was finally going after what he wanted.

When they all nodded in agreement, Hux fished his pockets for his car keys and handed them over to his friend.

"Go get your ex ex-wife."

* * *

_A/N: The song Ben listens to is "Greek Tragedy" by The Wombats. Did anyone catch my Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy reference? ;) Also, if you didn't already notice, I take quotes from the SW movies and the movie with the same name and incorporate them in dialogue. It's a fun challenge._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: The Lighthouse
> 
> "You found me."
> 
> "You are hard to find, Rey."
> 
> "You're hard to get rid of," she softly smiled.


	32. The Lighthouse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I mean come on, you guys knew she'd be at the lighthouse, right? Didn't I say pay attention to their conversation in Gala weekend pt 2? ;)
> 
> I'm a sucker for grand gestures and that was the start of it - his chase. I think the rest of the chapters are going to be smooth sailing. It was hard to one up ch 31 so I figured fluffy chapters can make up for all the drama I put everyone through.
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

**~XXXII. The Lighthouse~**

Ben set off on his lone journey to find Rey. It wasn't easy for starters. He drove up PCH for nearly two hours, stopping at every lighthouse he knew of that could resemble the one in the photo and with what little information she's told him about it. When he reached another port, his gut instinct told him he was at the right place. He waited for the ferry to take him to a remote island. Stepping off the dock, he found a tall white structure ahead of him. He lifted the frame in his hands and sure enough, it was a match! It was nearing sunset, but Ben had found the right place. He just knew she was there. _He felt it._

Growing up in foster care, often times the houses Rey lived in had their social workers put all the kids in one room to watch television and not really tend to kids individually. She watched many American films that took place in the city of angels with a backdrop of glamour of the entertainment business. But Rey had always been interested in the view. With gorgeous landscapes, miles of beaches, and a sunset draped across the blue Pacific Ocean, that was the only dream she had of this picturesque city. Which was why the first place she thought to go when she left London was Los Angeles.

It was the perfect day to be outdoors. The summer heat was simmering down to prepare for the coming fall, with a comfortable 80 degrees during the day and a nice cool breeze to chase the evening. Today was no exception.

After she spoke with Leia two days ago, Rey decided to take her advice and ease her mind. She desperately needed a break. So the next morning she arranged to take a few vacation days, leaving her assistants in charge of her projects until she got back. She told Rose about her impromptu vacation after she came home from work that day and her friend had agreed it was the best thing to do. Though instead of staying at her place and more than likely moping around, Rey decided this needed to be a real vacation; A journey to clear her mind. So that Saturday morning she slipped a note on the kitchen counter and left quietly before Rose woke up. She needed to escape. She needed to find herself again. So, she went to the last place that made her truly happy: her lighthouse.

The sun was setting on a beautiful day. Rey spent a good six hours laying in the sun, picnicking alone with the lunch she packed herself, not caring what her next step would be. She wasn't sure if she was going to go back home just yet or find nearby lodging to stay for the night. She just knew that she needed the day for herself.

It was hard, she'll admit, to adjust back to her old routine. It was only six months, but she had almost forgotten what it was like doing her own thing without someone else. Without Ben.

The day was transitioning to night, and Rey knew that she would have to leave in about another hour to go back. She just wasn't sure to where. Her plan to come here was to clear her mind and feel like herself again. While it did work it also helped her realize how much she still wanted to be with Ben. If they both weren't so stubborn, she would have gone back to him in a heartbeat. Instead she was alone at her lighthouse, missing him. The feeling he gave her, the warm sensation in her gut, the aching swell in her heart when they were around each other. She missed it all. She… _felt it_. _Just now._

He saw her sitting at the edge of the rocks below the lighthouse. While many of the visitors around the area were following the trails and taking photos in scenic spots, there she was with not a care in the world sitting alone and enjoying the view. He knew she sensed his presence as he noticed her posture stiffen. Suddenly he regretted showing up, finding her. Ben didn't want to ruin Rey's lighthouse; he didn't want to be a reason for her heartbreak anymore.

Knowing he wasn't going to leave any time soon, she took a deep breath and prepared herself. She got up slowly, dusting any debris from her grey leggings and turned to face him. It was the first time in two weeks they had seen each other. Not since their court date.

"You found me," she stated simply.

He looked down at his feet and let out a breath.

"You are hard to find, Rey."

"You're hard to get rid of," she softly smiled.

He looked back up and returned the gesture.

"Do you know how many lighthouses there are about an hour and a half north of Santa Monica?" he said.

"No, how many?"

"Three. In case you were wondering."

"Did you go to all three?" she was baffled at the thought of him doing so.

"Mhm," he nodded. "And of course, the one you liked had to be the one that you needed to take a ferry to get to," they both chuckled. "So I'm pretty sure that added about another hour to the trip. Just in case you share your story again."

"You remembered my story?"

"I remember everything you told me."

Her lips curled up for a brief second. She couldn't believe he was there in front of her saying that he heard her. He has always seen her, and it made Rey feel understood for the first time. She wasn't invisible. Not to Ben.

A small beat passed between them.

"So… did you come all this way just to tell me that?"

"No, I came here to give you your photo back," he offered her the object in his hand. "Poe didn't know it was yours and he left it on the shelf."

"Thank you," she grabbed it from him.

She didn't think she'd see it again. After Poe came back with her stuff, she realized he forgot it, but didn't have the heart to ask him to go back and fetch it.

"I guess it was good that he left it. Otherwise I wouldn't know the right place to find you."

"You were looking for me?"

"If you knew the day I had…" he deeply sighed.

He let out a small chuckle, thinking back at everything that happened that afternoon. All the yelling, the hitting, the confessions. It paid off though, he found her.

"Why are you here, Ben?" she suddenly grew serious.

"I just…" he began, but he stopped himself. "I wanted to know if you were OK."

He still couldn't find that courage to tell her. Even with all his momentum built up. Even when he found her. It was still nerve-wracking. She looked almost disappointed with what he said. He wasn't sure what to make of it.

If he was too timid to talk to her after all the effort to find her, then maybe it was a sign that she and Ben weren't supposed to be anything, Rey thought to herself. Maybe she should give up hope.

"I'm fine," she said softly, then turned back around to face the sunset.

"Is that a real 'I'm fine', or like when Phasma said it to Hux one time and he ended up sleeping on my couch for two days because he didn't catch the hint?" he was actually serious. Women and their codes, Ben was clueless just like every other man.

Rey looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes at him, giggling at his words. Ben took it as probably the second answer was the appropriate thing in this situation. He walked up to the ledge and stood beside her, taking in the setting sun painting a cotton candy sky before them.

"Well even if you're not completely fine, I'm at least glad you're here."

"Is that so?" she said, not taking her eyes off the view in front of her.

"This is your happy place," he said.

"That is correct," the crooks of her lips slowly rose. He really did listen to everything she said.

A silent moment passed between them.

"Are you OK, Ben?" she asked softly.

He turned to her, but she still kept her gaze ahead. He thought about the question.

"I don't know, honestly," he admitted.

She heard him let out an aggravating sigh. Well, at least he was just as jumbled in the head as she was. It was oddly comforting.

"Well, maybe I'll share my happy place with you for just a little bit," she offered.

She gestured for him to sit on the ground with her, legs dangling off the edge of the rocks, settling comfortably as they watched the sun glow a fierce orange hue.

Rey was surprised at herself with how calm she was. She was sitting next to the man who was responsible for her heartache the past few weeks. And now she was casually sitting beside him, watching the sunset as if nothing happened. She knew in the back of her mind this perfect moment wouldn't last. But maybe, just maybe, she could have one last nice moment with him before they had to face the music again.

"Can I ask you a question?" he broke the silence.

"Sure."

"Was it so bad living with me?"

She turned to him and frowned at his question.

"I never said it was bad," she said. "Where'd you get that idea?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, picking at a nearby patch of grass. "But were you happy?"

She thought for a moment about that.

"I must admit, I was terrified when this whole thing started. Not the Vegas thing, the court thing. I don't regret the time we had in Vegas," she told him.

He glanced at her and smiled.

"Neither do I."

She looked down at her lap and fidgeted with her thumbs, trying not to blush at his response.

"Being told I had to do something that I couldn't fully control, it was like I was a foster kid again; being assigned to live somewhere unfamiliar, with other kids, with strangers, with guardians who didn't actually care about me."

"I never thought about it that way for you," he admitted. Ben felt horrible. He knew that he was part of the reason she had the court order.

"It's not your fault," she said. "We both did what we did and we both got the same orders."

"I guess. But go on," he motioned for her to continue.

"Right, so here I was locked in a cage with a guy I barely knew and just met. It wasn't easy that our friends were teasing us, but what was more of a struggle was learning to live with someone again. When I first moved in with Hobbie, it was an engagement high. We were 'in love'," she air-quoted, "so things felt natural. Little did I know it wasn't going to always be like that," she kidded.

"That prick," Ben scoffed, chuckling with her.

"But you know what? As you and I started to get to know one another and become more comfortable with this arrangement, I felt good. I didn't feel the restraints. You did your thing, and you let me do my thing. Whatever I wanted. Sometimes I even forgot it was a court order. That we were actually just roommates," she smirked at him.

He shook his head and laughed heartily. Ah that 'roommates' thing would never be lived down on either of them.

"I guess… being in this cage set me free," she smiled to herself, though Ben saw it.

"Is that a thank you?" he lightly bragged.

"Shut up," she rolled her eyes and laughed at his remark.

It felt so good to laugh with Ben. Rey missed it. She missed him.

The sun was almost halfway set. The painted sky would soon fade to black and light up with the stars.

"I can see why you like this place," he said to her.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It's remote, in its own piece of land away from the noise. You don't have to worry about the next day. You don't have to think about it. You have your own little world here where you can escape to and just find peace."

"A part of me wants to be impressed," she said, "But I'm pretty sure I said half of those things when I first told you about this place," she eyed him playfully.

"Guilty," he said, prompting them to both laugh again.

He wanted to stay here and laugh with her all night if he could. He didn't want this moment to end. But he knew eventually it would.

Rey sighed, knowing that this almost perfect day had to end. She and Ben needed to go back to the noise, and most likely go their separate ways. This wasn't exactly how she pictured talking to him for the first time since the court date, but maybe this was all the closure they were ever going to get. At least it was amicable.

She got up and once again dusted herself off.

"Well as much as I'd love to stay here all night, the noise calls." She gestured behind her, where the port was.

"Do you really have to go?" Ben felt his desperation and longing creep up again. This was getting too real too fast. He wanted more time.

"No, _WE_ really have to go," Rey said. "The last ferry leaves in about 30 minutes and if we start now, we'll make it to the dock."

They were at the far end of the island, the lighthouse sat atop the tallest rock. It was a good 15 minute walk back at a steady pace.

"Oh. Okay," Ben said.

Rey offered her hand and he grabbed it, missing the softness of her touch. With her help, he stood up in front of her. She let her hand linger for a moment in his. She missed the feel of his strong hold. But she needed to let go.

She turned and knelt back down to ready her backpack, tucking the photo frame safely inside. Looking around to make sure she wasn't leaving anything else behind, she zipped her bag shut. She was about to get up when she felt him standing directly in front of her. She looked up and met eyes with him. His face was so vulnerable, so naïve. She wasn't exactly paying attention to any of her surroundings.

"Rey," he spoke her name delicately.

Ben held his hand out. The same way he did when they first met; when he asked her to trust him.

Their annulment hurt her bad. She was still hurting. She was longing to be relieved of this pain, hoping if she distanced herself enough from him that she would be able to move on. But in this moment, she didn't think about him hurting her again. She didn't think about any of that. Whether it was right or wrong, she only wanted to take his hand.

So, she did.

He brought her up to stand and face him, the first real and intimate gaze they've shared in a long while. This time her expressions matched his and he found strength in this vulnerability between them to speak.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

He studied her for a moment, preparing himself mentally. She waited for him to speak.

"I miss you," he confessed.

Tears were already starting to pool in her eyes, but she dared not let them fall.

"I miss you too," she replied softly.

The grip on his hand tightened. He was pleased to hear that she missed him back. It made his heart swell.

"Alright, here it is," he took in a deep breath and began. "When we were married, I have to admit too that I was scared. Sick. I didn't know what I was getting myself into and I feared I just ruined someone else's life."

She furrowed her brows, feeling the pain he felt when he spoke.

"But… Living with you was the best time I've ever had."

He grabbed her other hand for more support. This was it. Everything comes out now.

"You saw me for me, and you didn't belittle me like everyone else. You gave me a chance when I stopped giving myself any. I gave up on my dream to become a pilot, but you still saw the light in me and gave me hope to pursue it."

He brought their foreheads together, closed his eyes and continued.

"You found the good in me. And there's no one else I want to share it with but you."

He brought her knuckles to his lips and he lightly kissed them.

"You were the best thing to ever happen to me. You gave me a reason to believe I was good enough."

He looked into her eyes and showed her how much that meant to him. She understood.

"You bet on me, Rey. And you made me want to bet on myself again."

She smiled at his words and saw how much this meant to him that he found his inner-strength again. He smiled in relief. He finally felt confident.

"We can't go back and change the beginning, but we can start here and change the ending. So… don't think about anything or anyone else. Just answer this for yourself, please?"

She slowly nodded, waiting for him to continue.

He let go of both her hands and slowly propped himself on one knee before her.

"Do you want to be married to me… again?"

Her eyes widened. She did not expect this. Yeah sure, best case scenario they would reconcile and start a new relationship. But going back to marriage? Was that too fast? Oh who was she kidding, that was what she's always wanted with him!

Rey smiled tenderly as she tried to compose herself. After everything Ben just told her, it was her turn to speak from her heart.

"You know for so long I've always wondered if there was something wrong with me. Maybe that's why my parents left me alone. Why Hobbie dumped me. That maybe I wasn't good enough, and I'll never be happy."

She fidgeted with her feet, kicking the gravel on the ground. Her words, so solemn, hurt Ben more than herself. He looked crushed.

"I've always felt like I had to try to please everybody. But not with you."

She looked at him simply, ensuring she was alright. He let out a held breath, relieved that she wasn't going down a dark path thinking back on her abandonment.

"You saw my scars and you told me I was stronger for it, not weak. You even told me they were beautiful. I never thought any part of me was."

He gave her an obvious _'Are you kidding me? You're gorgeous!_ ' look. Because she was. She playfully crinkled her nose at his expression, then continued.

"I made mistakes, but you always believed in me. I didn't need to try to be perfect or try to please you or try to be brave. I just… didn't need to try so hard."

She stared at him deep in the eyes.

"You let me be me… And I became myself again."

He gulped anxiously, holding in his emotions, waiting for her to answer him. She certainly had her answer and she was going to tell him. But there was one last thing she needed to say.

"I was a nobody…"

She looked down at her feet. He was nervous. He wanted to tell her she wasn't.

"But not to you."

She looked at him again and lovingly smiled.

"I do… want to be married to you again."

He smiled so brightly that he was ready to burst into tears. Actually, he did. Ben was so overwhelmed that he couldn't even get up, he got on both his knees and pulled Rey close, wrapping his arms around her midsection and burying his teary face on her stomach. She lightly giggled, tears streaming down her face as well and wrapped her arms around his head, kissing the top of his hair. He held her tight, making sure this was all real and she was real. And she was his.

She couldn't wait any longer to see his face and kiss his lips. She tugged his shoulders so he could stand up to her level.

Immediately, Ben got to his feet and stood tall, picking up Rey the same way he did in their kitchen and twirled her. She giggled again, instructing him to put her down. When her feet touched the floor, he stared at her and she stared back. Their lips crashed against each other's, fiercely, passionately… _finally_. The only reason to break the connection seconds later was to come back for air. Ben touched his forehead to Rey's and they both chuckled. They were finally happy. They were _finally together_.

He broke their embrace and intertwined their hands. Picking up her backpack, the couple made their way down the hill to reach their boat.

"Thanks for giving me back my photo," she said to him.

"Well I figured it was important. After all, it gives you hope," he winked at her.

"It does… but I have another thing that gives me hope."

She had him twists his torso a bit so she could fish something out of her backpack. They paused in their tracks for a moment for her to reveal said object.

"You kept that?" he was genuinely surprised.

It was the bracelet he gave her the night of their bonfire.

"Of course I did. I kept every gift you gave me."

"I've only ever given you that one thing?" he was confused.

"Then my statement rings true," she giggled. "Well except for the rose you gave me. I tried my best to keep it alive as long as I could though!"

"Fair enough," he chuckled.

She stared at the trinket, he most prized possession and lightly traced the etchings.

"I've carried this with me everywhere I went ever since you gave it to me," she smiled at him. "It's my good luck charm. I think of you every time I look at it. Makes me smile."

"Good luck charm? Does that mean you're still looking for what you want?" his brows furrowed.

"No, I found you," she winked at him. "I was just holding on to this hoping you wanted me too."

"There's no one else I want but you, sweetheart."

She smiled into his kiss. This was right. Ben was hers. She was finally home.

"I love you, Rey. So much."

"I love you too, Ben."

They arrived at the dock in the nick of time and boarded the ferry. During the ride back to the mainland, they talked about how silly they had both been the past six months about being secretive and not talking about their true feelings when they had so many chances. How their friends teased them so much and how badly they wanted to say something, but they were just too silly to admit anything.

"Let's agree to tell each other everything. No more hiding. No more secrets," Rey said to Ben when they reached the port.

"Deal," he kissed her in agreement.

When they stepped off the ferry, Ben took Rey's hand and she followed him to the car. As they reached the passenger side, he was about ready to open it for her when he paused.

"Wait… there's one thing I'm hiding still."

"I mean," Rey pretended. "We were really happy for like forty five minutes. That's got to be a record, right?" she giggled.

He laughed, kissing her for being a tease.

"No, it's not huge. Well, it is but it's not bad. It's good. Well… I think it's good. I mean, I hope you think so too-"

"Love," she stopped him. "I was just messing with you," she couldn't help but giggle some more.

"You'll be the death of me, woman," he rolled his eyes, making her laugh even harder.

"So, what is it?" she finally stopped teasing and let him finish.

For some reason, even if the news was good, Ben was nervous to share.

"Well you see… um… there was a page you and I forgot to fill out for our attorneys. So… our papers haven't been processed yet."

Her teasing stopped and she took in what he said, realizing what it meant.

"Wait. So… we're still married?"

He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out the infamous wedding ring, slipping it onto her finger.

"If you'll still have me."

She looked at the diamond crusted ring, the one that promised her to him six months ago. The one that felt like it had always belonged on her finger. Then she glanced up at him with a new set of tears in her eyes.

"Of course I will."

He wiped some rogue tears that fell down her cheeks and smiled at her answer. Rey kissed Ben for the umpteenth time that day. Oh yeah, he could get used to kissing this woman forever.

"Let's go home, Mrs. Solo," he said to her as he opened the car door.

"Home," she repeated with a smile on her lips. "Yes, let's go home, Mr. Solo."

* * *

_A/N: The lighthouse I described briefly is a real place. Real talk, it reminds me of Ahch-To because of it's remoteness. It's off the coast near Santa Barbara_ _called the Anacapa Island Lighthouse. It's one of my favorite places in California._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: As It Should Be
> 
> "If you two love birds are free tonight, we were all thinking of celebrating a bit with you guys."
> 
> "Let's do it, sweetheart. It'll be fun."
> 
> "Yeah sweetheart, it'll be fun," Poe mocked Ben with the nickname Rey gave him.
> 
> "Augh, fine. We'll go if it means we can end this conversation."


	33. As It Should Be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Let's be real... when two lovers reunite they're going to celebrate the way Hux would describe as "sharing a special 'hug' that grownups do" lol. There's no explicitness, just lots of suggestive banter. Keeping this T rated!
> 
> No hard feelings if you skip this chapter, you won't miss out on the main story, promise! Remaining chapters have some plot progression but it's all fluffy cuteness.
> 
> Anyhow, enjoy if you do read this!

* * *

**~XXXIII. As It Should Be~**

_**~i. Making Up For Lost Time~** _

The warmth from the late morning sunshine radiated through the windows of the fourth story Santa Monica loft. A well-rested, satisfied, and thoroughly exhausted Rey woke up to the bright light peering its way in the room through the half open blinds.

 _We seriously need to invest in automatic curtains_ , Rey thought. _That bloody frickin' sun._ Not having much of a blanket to cover her face from the glare, she groaned, deciding it was time for her to get up and stay up this time to start the day.

She wiggled a bit to break free from his grasp. As she put out her arm and got the leverage from the coffee table to push herself up, she turned around and smiled at him. He was still sound asleep from their eventful morning.

Who would have thought that 24 hours ago Rey was on a lonely journey to mend her broken heart and try to find happiness within her again? Only to be waking up from a late morning nap with none other than the man of her dreams, Ben Solo – _her husband_. It was quite a 24 hours indeed.

Rey kissed his tousled hair as she slowly rose from the couch, feeling underneath the sofa for her shorts and his discarded undershirt to wear before making her way over to the Keurig. She desperately wanted to brew herself some coffee for a much needed burst of caffeine. She reached the counter and tried to yawn her sleep out of her system. Sure, it was nearly 11 AM but she was still exhausted. She was never one to wake up late - usually started her day no later than 8 AM, 9 on her 'lazy days'. But with the morning she had with Ben… well, they needed to take a nap after a rather vigorous start. She turned the coffee machine on and waited for her beverage to brew, dumping the cold mug of coffee that she first made this morning into the sink. She never did get around to drinking it as the moment she got out of bed, Ben followed her to the kitchen and couldn't seem to take his hands of her. Which was why they ended up sprawled on the couch, napping after their intimate session.

She smiled to herself, still thinking that this was all a dream. She was happy. She was with Ben. And they were in love. How did she get so lucky?

"Is that hazelnut I smell?" a groggy Ben hollered from the couch.

"Yes it is. I bought the k-cups last month," she said back.

She learned over the gala weekend that he had a liking for Hazelnut and Mocha flavored java. Despite he made fun of her for having that new obsession of k-cups, she knew he was grateful to buy him flavors that delighted his all too familiar sweet tooth.

"Smells good," he replied.

"If you want me to make you a cup, get your lazy butt up and come over here," she teased.

A silent moment passed.

"Did you fall back asleep?" she wondered aloud.

"I'm debating if coffee is worth getting up. I'm still tired!" he complained.

"Get up, darling," she said to him.

Grudgingly, Ben managed to prop himself to sit up, blindly searching for his shorts under the coffee table, then got up and off the couch, dragging himself to the kitchen. Rey was sitting on a stool, sipping her cup of joe and reading whatever sports magazine Ben had lying around on the kitchen island. Ben leaned lazily against Rey's shoulder being over dramatic as if he were a kid forced to wake up early for school.

"I want coffee," he announced. He tried sipping from the mug Rey was holding.

"Hey, this is mine. Make your own," she scooted her mug away from his reach.

"But it won't be special coffee, you make the best brew, hon," he said.

"Ben, I push a button and the magic of the Keurig does all the work. Nice try," she stuck her tongue at him.

He took advantage of the moment and kissed her. She thoroughly enjoyed it, kissing him back sweetly until he caught her off guard and grabbed her mug from her, successfully stealing her beverage.

"Too easy," he smugly grinned and sipped away.

"You're so bad," she feigned pouting. "It's a good thing I love ya," she said and kissed his cheek.

Ben placed the mug down and wrapped his arms around Rey's waist, lazily gawking at her eyes, then down to her lips.

"Mm how much do you love me?" he mumbled with intrigue.

"How about I show you?" she smiled into his kiss.

It had been nonstop affection the moment Ben and Rey returned from the lighthouse the night before. When the happy couple made it back to their loft, they wasted no time in celebrating, not leaving their bedroom for the rest of the night. Rey woke up in Ben's arms and the two shared a sweet morning together. Ben expressed this bubbling feeling he had inside him when he woke up to Rey in his arms. It was how it should've been for the past six months if only they weren't so stubborn and blind to see they were meant to be together all along. Rey agreed a bit upset that they wasted so much time with what could have been, but she nor he regretted it because it brought them together in the end anyway.

They waited to tell their friends and family what came of Ben's search for Rey. In fact, they turned off their phones the moment they stepped onto the ferry to head back to the port. They decided that they wanted to keep the night for themselves and savor this reunion together, to face the music the next day. Which was today. However, Ben had not left Rey's side, touching and holding her every chance he got. 'It's to make up for lost time,' he claimed. To which Rey didn't protest. When they made love again that morning before Rey could have her first cup of coffee, they wound up on the couch. Ben claimed to want to 'christen' every room in their loft with their love. Rey of course rolled her eyes and laughed – though with no protest.

Which brings us to now. After waking up from their session on the couch, Ben was currently kissing his wife in the kitchen, picking her up with one fell swoop and placing her bottom on the cold marble countertop of their kitchen island.

"We haven't christened the kitchen yet, baby," he lowly drawled.

"Mm yeah no, don't call me 'baby'," she shook her head.

"You didn't protest when I called you that last night," he smugly grinned. "And I heard you say it several times too."

She slapped his chest lightly, her cheeks were turning red.

"Which is why I can't have you calling me that as a pet name because every time you do, my mind will wander to the bedroom," she expressed.

"It's a win-win for me," he said proudly.

She rolled her eyes at him and laughed.

"Alright, how about honey? Sweetheart? Love?" he suggested.

"I like those better than 'baby'. At least I won't blush," she teased.

"I think it's cute when you blush," he smiled. "But I don't care what pet name you want me to call you, so long as I can call you my wife," he said lovingly.

"You can call me your wife any time, darling," she said sweetly.

" _Darling_ … I like 'darling'. It sounds special," he grinned at the sentiment.

"You're special," she smiled at him.

He kissed her again deeply, intent to show her exactly how special she was to him. Ben started to feel around the hem of Rey's shorts, finding the elastic and hooked his fingers around them. She knew where this was going and broke their kiss.

"Ben, you're not seriously thinking we should have sex on the kitchen island."

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm thinking," he smirked. "You know me so well."

"Honey, we shouldn't. We eat here!" she exclaimed.

"And we watch TV on the couch, but that didn't stop you this morning from screaming very naughty words in my ear," he haughtily chuckled.

Her cheeks flushed red again. It didn't matter that they were already together. Ben still had that effect on her.

"You really need to take a cold shower," she teased.

"Not unless you shower with me," he propositioned.

"We both know what will happen if I do."

"I don't see any problem with that."

"You're impossible," she rolled her eyes at him.

"I didn't hear a 'no'," he waggled his eyebrows at her.

"No shower," she giggled.

"Fine. But what about the counter?"

He tried to sway her by kissing a particular spot on her neck, the softest part of her skin that he discovered last night to be her hot button.

"I guess if we're christening the loft…" she sighed happily.

Ben felt like the luckiest man alive.

_**~ii. Sharing The News~** _

"Thanks, keep the change," Rey took the pizza from the delivery guy and shut the door, bringing their late lunch over to the counter where they recently 'christened' it.

"Jeez, you keep your phone off for a whole night and you get like fifty messages and twenty missed calls," Ben said when he finally turned his phone on.

"Yeah, I turned mine on this morning too. Rose practically blew up my voicemail," she giggled.

"At least your messages were from Rose. Most of these came from my mom," he said embarrassingly.

Ben put his phone on the computer desk and walked over to the counter to enjoy some pizza with Rey. They had to order out a late lunch because he was keen on being intimate all morning with his wife. Not that he complained.

"We really should tell everyone, love," Rey said after taking a bite of her first slice. "It's only fair."

"Or, and hear me out, we can hide all weekend and not leave the bedroom," he winked.

"Down boy," she teased him. "We at least need to tell people we're alive," she giggled.

"Augh, but they'll want to come over and celebrate," he protested. "How am I supposed to ravish you with an audience?"

"Ben, it's not like they haven't seen us provocatively. Remember the morning after we woke up in Vegas? Our faces practically screamed 'sex'," she reminded him.

"Well if we tell my mom you know she'll want to come over with dad," he told her. "And no offense Rey, I love you, but I'll lose my libido if my parents come over."

"Why are you so frisky all of a sudden," she smiled at him curiously.

"Because sweetheart," he placed his slice down, this time holding her hand tenderly. "I lost so much time being a coward. I want to show you how much you mean to me."

"I already know how much I mean to you silly," she kissed his nose.

"I don't know, I guess…" he trailed off.

"What's on your mind?" she brushed back his hair gently. "Tell me."

"I guess… a part of me is still waiting to wake up; that this is just a dream and you're not here and I'm still alone," he sadly smiled.

Rey's heart shuddered at his words. Ben had the same anxious thoughts as she. How did she ever get so lucky? She grabbed his hand and placed his palm softly on her cheek.

"I'm here, I'm real. I'm not going anywhere."

Ben's sullen expression disappeared, and back was his boyish smile. Did he actually get what he wanted this time? Well, he took a huge risk and came up with more than just winnings. He got Rey.

"Fine, fine," he playfully sighed. "We can tell everyone."

He gave her a quick peck on the lips and went back to his food. Rey was right, as much as he wanted to continue to ravish her, they needed to re-energize with food.

Rey grabbed her phone from the computer desk and walked back over, this time sitting on Ben's lap.

"What are you going to tell them?" he wondered as he sipped his drink and hugged her side.

"I don't know, I don't want to sound too cheesy," Rey said. "Oh, I know! Smile!"

She held out her phone and took a photo of the two of them. Ben nuzzled his chin on Rey's shoulder with his arms wrapped around her waist and the two of them flashing grins at the camera.

"There. I'll just send this pic on the group chat and to your parents. I think it's self-explanatory, I can't really think of anything cheeky," she giggled.

"Yeah, they all gossip enough. They can fill in the blanks themselves," he said of their group.

She placed her phone back down, hopped off his lap to sit at a stool and the couple continued to eat their meal in peace for a bit. However, like clockwork, their phones started incessantly buzzing just moments later.

_**Oh thank god, finally! – Phasma** _

_**Adorable! – Leia** _

_**OH MY GAWWWD girl I'm so happy for you! – Rose** _

_**About damn time! – Finn** _

_**Congrats love birds! – Hux** _

_**And Solo gets the girl! ;) – Poe** _

_**Proud of you, son! – Han** _

The couple glanced at their noisy phones and laughed at the flooding of all the new messages.

"I think they're happy for us," Ben chuckled.

"I mean, they placed bets on when we were going to get together," Rey giggled. "I'm sure they were rooting from day one."

"Wait what?" he was surprised. This was the first he's heard of this news.

"Yeah, Finn and Rose started a pool. I guess Hux and Phasma joined in sometime later. And Poe obviously did too," she rolled her eyes at their silly friends.

"I think we deserve some commission from that! Damn gossips. Making money off us!"

"Ben, it was pretty obvious we'd end up together," Rey said matter-of-factly.

"I don't know, Rey. You were playing hard to get. I was beginning to wonder if you liked me back," he snickered.

"Oh trust me, I wanted you," she chuckled.

Before Ben could lean over the counter and kiss her, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller I.D.: _**Poe Dameron**_

 _Nope_ , Ben thought. _Poe can wait, I want to kiss my wife!_ He let it go to voicemail.

He kissed Rey fervently and held her tight, about to take things to the next level as he brought her back to his lap when this time her phone rang instead.

"Poe Dameron, you are the biggest cock block," he grumbled at Rey's phone before she answered it.

"Hello?" she stifled a laugh, answering her phone as Ben scowled before biting into a slice of pizza.

" _KIDDO!"_

"Ow… okay Poe, don't scream so loud," Rey had to pull the phone away from her ear. She placed it on the counter and pressed a button. "You're on speaker now."

" _Is Ben there? Who am I kidding of course he is! I bet he hasn't taken his hands off you at all."_

They could literally feel Poe's smirk through the phone. Ben and Rey chuckled.

"What do you want, Dameron? This better be important!" Ben said.

" _Well first things first, congratulations! I'd say when's the wedding but you two already did that," he teased. "Then again, I was the only one who attended out of all of us so why am I complaining?" he chuckled._

Rey giggled. Oh Poe, he was going to have fun with this, she already knew.

"Poe I'm going to hang up!"

" _Calm down, Ben. You can hanky panky with your woman once I hang up."_

Ben and Poe laughed at his comment. Rey on the other hand blushed madly.

"I'm really not comfortable talking about mine and Ben's intimacy with you, Poe," Rey begged the men to quit the teasing.

" _Oh she's red like a fire truck now, huh Ben?" Poe chortled._

"To be fair, she's been blushing all morning," Ben shared cheekily.

"Ben Solo!" Rey smacked him in the arm.

"Ow!" Ben grabbed at his forming bruise. Okay that actually hurt. But it was so worth it.

" _Ahh, a woman after my own heart. I'm so proud of you kiddo!" Poe continued to tease._

"Poe I'm about five seconds from hanging up. And it's not to kiss Ben, it's to kill him," Rey grumbled.

" _Okay, okay! I'll stop!" he called a truce._

"I'm sorry," Ben whispered to Rey. Though he wasn't really convincing because he was still grinning. She glared at him flippantly but let him embrace her anyway.

"What's up, man?"

" _Right! If you two love birds are free tonight, we were all thinking of celebrating a bit with you guys."_

"We got married like six months ago. I don't think there's much celebrating needed anymore," Ben said.

" _Yeah, but you two didn't acknowledge it until now. Come on, you guys. I mean I know I'd be crushed if I didn't get to go to your wedding. That's how everyone else feels. Come out and celebrate with us please?"_

"But I don't really want to go out to a club and party all night, neither does Rey."

" _We'll do it at the Cantina. I'll close early. It'll be a private event. Just your friends here. Oh… and your parents."_

"What? My parents?!"

" _Dude, your mom called me the moment you guys sent that photo out to everyone. You should thank me, I told her that you two were busy running some errands so she wouldn't stop by your loft. I didn't have a choice but to invite her tonight."_

"Wait, _invite_? So you're already planning this?" Rey probed.

" _Yeah… Kaydel, Rose and Phasma are already coming by to decorate the bar," Poe chuckled. "This is more of a formality than anything else."_

"Of course it is," Ben grunted. That Poe, always scheming things.

"Let's do it, sweetheart. It'll be fun," Rey said to Ben.

" _Yeah sweetheart, it'll be fun," Poe mocked Ben with the nickname Rey gave him._

"Poe you're teasing Ben, he's turning red," it was Rey's turn to poke fun at him.

" _Ben's blushing?! Rey take a picture for me please!" Poe begged her._

Rey couldn't help but laugh along with Poe this time.

"Augh, fine. We'll go if it means we can end this conversation," Ben gave in.

" _Awesome! Stop by the Cantina at around 6 PM, cool?"_

"We'll be there Poe!"

" _Alright, you two can go back to your sexcapades," Poe hollered and cut the line before they could yell at him._

_*click*_

"Do we have to go?" Ben groaned in disdain.

"Yes, we promised our friends," Rey explained. "And they're already planning it apparently."

"But I don't want to share you with them," he pouted.

"I think it'll be nice," she said to him. "I mean, we rushed it all in Vegas. Didn't really get to celebrate with everyone. And your mom was devastated when she learned that we got married and wasn't invited. This is our chance to actually share our happy day with everyone we love."

Rey smiled at him softly. He saw it in her eyes how much it meant for her as well.

"Augh, you're so hard to say no to," he kissed her temple. "Alright, we'll go."

"Yay," she yelped in delight.

She hopped off his lap again and they proceeded to finish their late lunch. After their meal, Rey began to tidy up, washing the dishes while Ben wiped down the counter. She was finishing the last of the dishes, humming to herself when her all too familiar husband's touch wrapped around her side.

"Yes, can I help you?" she asked modestly.

"I think enough time has passed for us to re-energize, rest and go for round two."

"Round two? You mean three, right? Don't forget on the couch this morning before our nap."

"If you're counting from the moment we got home and even when we slept, I think we're like at round seven," he lowly mumbled in Rey's ear.

"Ben, we've got a party to go to tonight," she reminded him.

"That's in like four hours," he said.

"Mhm. But we still need to get ready and I have to go out to find something to wear."

"Poe left some of your clothes hanging in the closet. He wasn't really good at packing all your things," Ben chuckled. "Hence why he left behind your photo too."

"Oh good, now I have a few things I can choose to wear tonight," she was happy.

"Great! So… Round three? Seven? Doesn't matter, I'm ready to go!" he was so eager.

"No, love. We have a party to go to tonight," she protested.

"I'm not going to be upset if we skip it."

"Nice try, we're going."

"Well, then reward me for complying, baby," he traced kisses along her jaw.

"I said no 'baby' for a pet name," Rey poked his chest playfully.

"You said not unless we're talking about sex," he winked.

He gazed at her; his pupils so dark wanting her. Sure, she was playing hard to get, but Ben Solo knew how to make her insides scream for him.

"Augh, why is it so hard to say no to you," she gave in, letting him guide her to their bedroom.

"You know you love it," he smirked.

"Keep that up and I'll make you sleep on the couch tonight. I'm sure you can get comfy on the sofa," she teased him and ran the rest of the way down the corridor to the room.

"Oh you're so getting it!"

He ran down the hall quickly, stepping inside and shutting the door to their bedroom.

~.~.~.~

"Hon, wake up," she poked his cheek.

"Five more minutes," he grumbled.

"Uh-uh. We need to start getting ready for the party," she poked his face again.

"But I'm tired. No energy," he whined.

"And who's fault is that?" she joked.

"Yours. You're just too irresistible."

He grabbed Rey, who was lying beside him, and pulled her on top of him. They had just awoken after taking a nap from their afternoon delight.

"If this is what marital bliss is, I don't ever want to lose this feeling," Ben happily sighed.

"Me neither," she smiled down at him before giving him a peck on the lips. "But we need to get ready. Thanks to you, we barely have time to shower and get dressed now. You most likely need to iron a shirt."

"Wait, we have to get dressed up?! Aughhhh," Ben grumbled.

"When did I marry such a grumpy Gus?" she teased.

"I'm not grumpy. I just don't want to share my wife with anyone today," he said.

Rey sat up, covering her chest with the sheets. Married or not, she was still shy about her nudity. She's a woman of dignity for goodness sake!

"Look at it this way, the sooner we go to the party the sooner we get back home and go to bed," she smirked at him with her sultry voice.

That was all she needed to say to get Ben to sit up immediately.

"Deal."

Ben promptly got up and put on a pair of his boxer briefs. Rey had instructed him to toss their linens in the laundry and change their sheets as they thoroughly soiled their current ones in the past 24 hours. Ben proudly boasted while doing said chore. In turn, Rey fetched a nice summer dress from the closet and hung it behind the door to smooth out. She picked out a dress shirt for Ben to go with her outfit and proceeded to steam out the wrinkles. He teasingly rolled his eyes at her choices but was eager to oblige matching with her so long as Rey was happy about it.

Ben tucked the last corner of the duvet from their fresh clean sheets and fell back into the bed with satisfaction.

"That's so you to mess up a perfectly made bed seconds after you finished doing so," she chuckled when she walked back into the room to see him lazily sprawled on their mattress.

"It needs my stamp of approval," he joked.

She crawled on top of the mattress and snuggled beside to him. He wrapped an arm around her midsection and gazed at his wife.

"Are you sure we can't just stay at home together? Games aside, I just want to spend time with you," he said lovingly to her.

"I do too, but we at least owe it to everyone to show up. They were rooting for us the entire time, you know that," she informed him.

"Okay, if it's really important to you then I won't complain anymore," he smiled at her. "I just want you to be happy."

"You make me happy," she replied.

He pulled her in for a tight embrace. He really wasn't complaining. He just wanted to spend time with her. Rey understood, she wanted it too.

"We have to leave in about an hour," she said to him.

"Alright, go get ready." He kissed her forehead and let her go.

She lazily got up and made her way to the bathroom. Ben stayed lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, happy and content at where he and Rey were now. Who would've thought that this bad luck streak of his would end and his ultimate prize was the love of his life? Nothing could make his life any better.

Rey opened the bathroom door and peaked her head out, clad in just a towel, with the water running in the background.

"Ben?"

He turned to look at her.

"Yeah sweetheart?"

"I'm going to take a shower… Care to join me, _baby_?" she winked at him and turned back around, leaving the door ajar but enough for him to see her shed her towel and step into the steaming stall.

Scratch that, _this_ made his life even better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Preview of next chapter: Finally
> 
> "I think it's time for your first dance, don't you think?"
> 
> ~.~.~.~
> 
> "They want us to kiss."
> 
> "I don't think they've ever seen us kiss... well with the exception of drunk Poe."
> 
> "I guess we'll just have to give them a show."
> 
> "I guess so..."


	34. Finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is the penultimate chapter of the story, but the final chapter in 'present time'. This entire chapter is pure fluff!

* * *

**~XXXIV. Finally~**

_**~i. A Proper Celebration~** _

"What time did you tell them to head over?" Rose asked Poe as the two sat at the bar sipping on some beers.

It was nearing 7 PM and the guests of honor were nowhere to be found.

"I said 6 for sure," he informed his friend. "Augh they're probably still shacking up!"

"Duh, genius," Rose chuckled. "But how are we supposed to explain their tardiness to his parents when they get here?"

"I'm working on it," Poe said gallingly while he shot yet another text to his friends.

Hux, Phasma and Finn walked up to the bar after playing a quick game of pool.

"Geez it's almost 7," Hux regarded the time.

"Still not here yet huh?" Finn asked the two.

"Someone should call them," Phasma suggested.

"Way ahead of you," Poe raised his phone to his ear and signaled to the group.

"Oh you guys," Kaydel walked out of the back room carrying a tray of clean wine chutes. "Just let the happy couple be."

"Dammit, I'm getting voicemail again," Poe muttered under his breath. "Ben Solo, get yours and Rey's asses down to the Cantina right now before I have to explain to your parents tha-"

"Hello everyone!" Leia exclaimed when she and Han stepped into the restaurant.

"Just get your butts down here now!" he mumbled.

Poe immediately hung up and the gang sheepishly smiled, greeting Ben's parents.

"Poe, you've got yourself a pretty sweet place," Han greeted Ben's oldest friend.

"Thank you, sir. And don't worry I'll give you the family discount: 100% off," he winked as he proceeded to pop the cap off the beer he handed to Han.

"Thanks, son," he gladly took it and sipped his beverage with delight.

Leia made her rounds saying hello to everyone, then plopped onto the seat next to Han.

"And where are our guests of honor?" she wondered aloud.

Everyone glanced at each other, nervous to reply.

"Oh hey look," Kaydel gestured at the front door opening.

"Thank god," Rose mouthed to Kaydel and Phasma as the three women giggled.

"FINALLY!" Poe hollered.

The guests of honor stepped inside with Rey dressed in a sky blue floral summer dress and Ben in a cerulean dress shirt. They were giggling at something spoken between them with Ben's arm around Rey's shoulder and the couple in their own little blissful bubble. It was a sight to see. Immediately they were bombarded by their friends and family screaming 'congratulations' to them both, with hugs and hearty handshakes all around.

After everyone had their turn, they all settled into a comfortable setting around the bar.

"Well, well, well… Ben and Rey, who would've thought?" Poe teased the happy couple.

"Hey, I just heard that you guys had a betting pool on us?" Ben pretended to size Poe up. "I'm not sure I like that you guys were making money off mine and Rey's relationship."

"Oh please dude, it was easy money," Hux laughed.

"And tough shit anyways because we all lost. You two got together _after_ the six month mark," Rose shared.

"Serves you right for trying to make money off us!" Rey teased.

"We're all just happy you two are finally together… for real," Leia said of the love birds.

"Mom, it was always real," Ben said lovingly about Rey, and without thinking.

This was met with a round of 'awwws' by everyone, prompting Rey to giggled and Ben to go red in the face.

"Adorable," Leia cooed at them.

"Alright we need to start this celebration off right," Kaydel announced. She and Poe popped a champagne bottle open and handed glasses to everyone.

"So… who talks first? Ben? Rey? Anyone?" Poe said to an awaiting group.

"I thought you guys had a whole thing planned?" Ben chuckled.

"Ben, you guys barely gave us four hours to plan this! You're lucky we found a 'congratulations' banner at Party City last minute," Phasma joked.

"Alright, alright, fair enough," he laughed.

"Either way, we're really grateful for you guys for doing this," Rey thanked them all.

Another brief moment of not knowing what to do passed by.

"Fine, fine… I guess I'll give a speech, since I'm the best man and all," Poe bragged.

"Wait, what?" Hux said.

They all turned to him and laughed.

"Okay, co-best man, sorry Huxy," Poe heartily patted the redhead on the shoulder.

"Speeeech!" Finn hollered, prompting everyone to request one too.

Poe raised his glass and began.

"Alright. Settle down," Poe tried to lull the crowd.

When it was calm enough, he began.

"For the record, I'm probably the wrong person to give a toast about love because you all know that I can be a bit of a lady's man," he chuckled.

"Aint that the truth," Finn said under his breath.

Everyone heard it anyway and they all chuckled. Poe tossed a coaster at his friend for the joke, then he proceeded.

"Then again, I guess I'd be the perfect person to describe the relationship that is Ben and Rey's. I'm lucky to have been friends with Ben since as long as I can remember and just as lucky to have met Rey several years ago. I got to see firsthand how these two were as individuals. And when they got together, how they couldn't be any more perfect for each other."

A round of 'awwws' were murmured.

"I don't mean to take the spotlight from them, but seeing Ben and Rey go on this six month journey together helped me understand what it means to love someone. How you can change for the better, but still be yourself. And the right person will accept you for you."

The couples in the room smiled at the sentiment, each hugging their respective partners lovingly. Rey noticed Poe and Kaydel holding hands and smiling at each other. He gave Kaydel a hug, and while he embraced her, his eyes met with Rey's. She winked at her friend, happy that he was finally with a girl he truly cared about. He smirked at her and let go of Kaydel's embrace, bringing everyone back to finish his toast.

"Love isn't perfect. It's not easy. It's certainly not something you can quickly define. It's about overcoming obstacles, facing challenges, fighting to be together, and just holding on and never letting go. Just like Ben and Rey these past six months. But most of all, love is realizing that every hour, every minute, and every second was worth it because you did it together. Life is messy. Relationships are messier. I didn't understand why people wanted to be in one at first. But as I learned from these two, when you meet the right person, one day it will all make sense."

Rey was starting to tear up at Poe's words. Ben sighed happily, holding on to his wife and trying not to break down either.

"Here's to the lovely couple. To your crazy, stupid, wild, romantic… Vegas story," he smirked at his friends.

"Here, here!" Hux cheered.

They clinked glasses and sipped their champagnes. Rey and Ben hugged their best friend and expressed their gratitude for his words.

"Ben, why don't you say something on behalf of you and Rey?" his father suggested.

"Dad, way to put the pressure on me!" Ben retorted. Everyone laughed. "Why didn't you ask Rey to do it?"

"Um, excuse me," she poked at her husband's chest. "Need I remind you that you put the pressure on me when we played disc golf with your parents and you didn't seem to care!"

Everyone laughed at her remark.

"She got you there, son," Han chuckled, high-fiving his daughter-in-law.

"Come on, Ben. Speech!" Hux cheered. Naturally, everyone else chanted along.

"Alright, alright," Ben grunted. "See, this is why I didn't want to come," he told his wife.

"Oh please, you didn't want to come because you wanted Rey all to yourself," Poe teased.

"Poe!" Rose and Kaydel slapped his arms.

"Ow! What?!"

"Don't be so forward, Ben's parents are here," Rose hissed at him.

Han and Leia chuckled.

"It's alright; not like Ben hasn't heard me say anything suggestive to his mother before," Han winked at everyone.

"And I already interrupted the two when I stopped by for breakfast one morning," Leia shared casually.

"What?! When was this?!" Kaydel, Rose, and Phasma were shocked.

"Oh god," Rey recalled the embarrassing morning all too clearly. Just like before, she buried her reddening face in Ben's chest.

"Mom, please don't-"

"I don't know about a month ago?" Leia recalled. "I went to pick up Rey for work and Ben shut me out in the hallway while he was kissing Rey in the kitchen. At least I hope that's all they were doing," she chuckled.

"That's all we were doing," Ben said through gritted teeth, his face flushed with embarrassment as well.

"Mhm… But that doesn't explain what happened before I got there," she told everyone. "Don't think I didn't notice your messy hair and Rey's wrinkled blouse," she smirked at her son.

"My boy!" Han cheered. Poe, Hux, Finn and Han high-fived each other.

"You two were already being friendly before the court thing?!" Rose said aloud.

"I am not going to merit that with a response," Rey tried saying as flatly as possible, though her crimson cheeks weren't fading away any time soon.

"Wait, hold the phone," Hux said. "If this was a month ago that means that's around the five month mark... That means I win! Pay up you guys!" he demanded.

They all chuckled and threw their coasters at Hux.

"Hey, why don't I give that toast you guys were asking me to do, hmm?" Ben tried for the sake of his wife to divert the subject, albeit at his expense.

They all laughed but promised to give the couple a break and allowed Ben to start his speech.

"I just want to start by saying that Rey and I are really happy we get to finally celebrate with everyone our nuptials. It wasn't conventional, but it's real and my love for her is real too," he said.

"Eeeeep!" the women in the room squealed. Rey shot them all glares. She didn't know if she could listen to Ben without blushing madly, while at the same time trying to keep her cool in front of everyone. Crying was another challenge as well as she didn't want to mess up her makeup.

"I'm a bit of a screw up," he confessed. "But finding the right person, the one you want to spend your life with, is the greatest accomplishment one can achieve and I'm proud to say I found it. I found Rey," he smiled at her. "But the unfortunate truth is that the right person doesn't always come at the right time. And that makes all the difference."

They all nodded in agreement.

"From the moment we met, the timing couldn't be any worse. I got fired from my job. Rey got dumped. Once we both stepped foot in Vegas, we got double booked. She almost hit me with a stick," he winked at her.

She rolled her eyes at him. They all chuckled.

"Then Rose smacked my temple and Finn wrestled me to the ground. Seriously I wasn't having the best start to my vacation," he smirked at the couple.

Rose giggled and Finn apologized again for that.

"Then we got married and we got this court order. That was not in our plans. But, looking back, maybe the timing actually was perfect. We just didn't see it yet. Not until we spent the next six months opening our eyes and seeing what was in front of us this whole time," he smiled at his wife lovingly.

She hugged him tight. These six months were really life changing for them.

"Was it convenient? I think we can all agree it wasn't. But that's the thing about love. When you love someone - when you really love someone, it's not a matter of convenience. It's not just present when times are good. It's present when times are bad too, just like Poe said. And Rey and I went through the good and the bad for six months. But we stuck around each other because deep down we knew we were meant to be together. The truth is everyone in this room is a part of our relationship. Poe, Mom, Rose, Phasma, Hux, Finn, and Dad – even you Kaydel. Especially you," he said to the barmaid.

She was surprised that he included her. Ben cleared the confusion immediately.

"You were the first one to see that I needed to make a grand gesture to get Rey back. Thank you for that," he smiled warmly at her.

Rose and Phasma turned to Kaydel and smiled at her appreciatively.

"Everyone here believed in me and Rey before we believed in ourselves that we were meant to be together. And with that, we are so thankful for you all. We love you guys. So, here's to everyone in this room. Not just me and Rey."

"Here, here!" Phasma chanted.

They all clinked glasses again and drank their champagne to celebrate.

After the toasts, the crowd dispersed into smaller circles; Hux, Rose and Han played a game of pool, Phasma and Leia were snacking on some hors d'oeuvres, and Finn was queuing up some music to play on the sound system.

Ben and Kaydel were sitting at the bar talking a bit, while Rey sat on the other end with Poe, taking some shots together.

"So, you and Kaydel, huh?" she waggled her eyebrows at her bartender friend.

"You and Ben, huh?" he mimicked her gesture.

They clinked glasses and downed their first shot.

"Hey, mine is old news. You're the new hot gossip now," she winked.

Poe laughed and swatted her with a bar towel.

"Yes, me and Kaydel if you must know," he said cheekily.

"I'm happy for you, Poe. I really am," she smiled at her best friend.

"I have you and Ben to thank for that, kiddo," he admitted.

"We didn't do a thing. This was all Poe Dameron charm," she smirked at him.

They each took another shot and laughed at her remark.

"Speaking of…" Poe diverted the subject. "How come you never told me or anyone that you and Ben were already exploring each other's bodies before the court date, hmmm?" he teased.

"Poe Dameron!" Rey feigned shock. "You should know better… a lady _never_ kisses and tells," she winked at him.

"God, Ben's going to have a run for his money with you," he chuckled at her.

Rey and Poe laughed it out and shared another shot together. Rey noticed from the corner of her eye after she took her shot that Ben was talking to Kaydel intently. She was curious as to why they looked so serious on this happy occasion. He caught her gaze and looked up at her, winking at his wife. She was about to wonder some more of their conversation, but that wink sent her heart fluttering. She smirked back at him and dismissed the thought, enjoying the rest of her conversation with Poe.

"I think it's time for your first dance, don't you think?" Poe said to Rey.

Ben and Kaydel had walked over to them by then.

"Really? A first dance? Kind of cheesy, Dameron," Rey kidded.

"You're just trying to keep you and Ben from getting more of the spotlight," he joked.

"Oh a first dance, that sounds lovely," Leia clapped her hands together in excitement.

If Rey had any guilt left from this whole Vegas incident with Ben, it was that she felt horrible that Leia and Han weren't at their son's wedding. So of course, Rey gave in and insisted she and Ben dance to please his mother.

"You know, if my mom ever finds out that she has that power over you, she'll manipulate you and me to do ridiculous things," he whispered to Rey as he begrudgingly accepted her hand to an open area of the dining room.

"Well then we better please her now so my guilty conscience will soon go away," Rey stuck her tongue at him.

"You're lucky I love you," he groaned.

"I know," she giggled.

Phasma helped Finn connect the speaker system to her laptop as she chose a song for the couple to dance. The first few chords started to play when suddenly Han stood on a chair to announce something.

"Ladies and gentlemen for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Solo!"

They all laughed at Han, especially Ben and Rey, and the couple proceeded to get in position. Rey wrapped her arms around Ben's neck and his hands rested around her waist. They started swaying to the music, staring into each other's eyes, smiling at one another comfortably.

Suddenly they heard the clinking of glasses.

They turned to their friends and had noticed Finn and Phasma were the ones to incite the act, getting everyone to eventually join in.

"I think that means they want us to kiss," Ben said to his wife.

"I don't think they've ever seen us kiss… well with the exception of drunk Poe," Rey chuckled.

"I guess we'll just have to give them a show," he smirked at her.

"I guess so," she smiled into his kiss.

While hoots and hollers and wolf whistles were sounding in the background, Ben drowned it all out and took in the moment to enjoy this passionate display of affection with his wife.

_**~ii. Our First Date~** _

After a much needed celebration spent with friends and family at the Cantina, the pair headed back to their loft, promising to spend more time with everyone later in the week. The happy couple reached the top of the stairs to their floor and Ben fished for his keys in his pocket.

"I'm glad we got to spend time with everyone tonight. It was really fun," he said.

"And you were complaining all day that you didn't want to go, hmm," Rey teased.

"Yeah, yeah," he rolled his eyes playfully. "But it worked out perfectly though…"

"What do you mean?" she wondered.

"You'll see," he smirked.

She was about to ask what he was talking about when Ben unlocked the door and opened it to reveal a romantic setting at the kitchen island. Rey stepped inside, clearly shocked with excitement and confusion.

"Ben, what's this?" she said of the get up when she walked to the counter.

He shut the door behind them and walked up to her. He took her hands in his and smiled.

"Sweetheart, I know we went backwards with this whole relationship thing. We got married, moved in together, and started a six-month courtship," he chuckled. Rey laughed as well. "So, if we're going backwards for one more moment, I really want to take you on that first date we never got to have."

Okay, Ben Solo was officially the best husband on the entire planet.

Rey grinned from cheek to cheek and kissed Ben's lips passionately.

"I'd love to go on a date with you. But on one condition…"

"You name it," he said.

"This is the last time we go backwards because I want to just go forward with you and spend the rest of our days together."

"Deal," he smiled as he kissed her once more.

He guided her to the kitchen island and helped her sit on a stool. The marble counter was covered in a maroon tablecloth, with a simple white place setting. In the middle was a vase of long stem red roses and a slim white candle flickering between them.

"How did you even set this up?" she wondered.

"Kaydel helped me," he shared. "I asked her how I could make our first date special since she helped me find you at the lighthouse. She suggested to do it here at our loft because this place holds most of our memories," he smiled. "She actually slipped away from the party for a bit to set this up for us."

Ah, it all made sense now.

"Remind me to thank her for this later," Rey smiled at her husband.

They settled together at the counter and enjoyed a light pasta dinner, with cherry pie of course for dessert.

"Do you remember when we went out for dinner at that Mexican restaurant near my office?"

"Mhm, I call that our 'almost date'," he smirked.

"It's definitely fitting since I didn't know if we were on a date either," she giggled.

"What about it?" he asked.

"To be honest, I wanted it to be a date," Rey confessed. "I even went to the restroom to call Finn because I was freaking out what to do."

"Wow, okay," Ben was surprised. "I guess we both thought alike because when you were there, I called Hux and Phasma about the same thing!"

They both laughed at their shared revelations.

"I've wanted to go on a date with you so bad. Now I'm finally on one," she smiled at him.

"Sorry I took so long to ask you," he held her hand.

He leaned over and kissed her nose.

"You know that night there was another surprise…" she said.

"Oh?"

"Remember when we started to sleep on the bed together?"

"I don't know why we took so long to do that arrangement."

"Ben, hello? We were both stubborn idiots that's why," she got him to laugh. "But that first night we slept on the bed together, I woke up to you holding me. Did you know that?"

"It was probably instinct," he admitted. "But did you know you had your moments too some nights snuggling into me?"

"Let's just both agree that we knew what we were doing all those nights but didn't want to say anything," she giggled.

"When did you know that you wanted to be with me? Or that you felt something for me?"

Rey took a bite of her pie and paused for a moment to think about it.

"I don't know, there were so many confusing times of my feelings for you," she admitted. "But the first time I felt like a twinge for you was when we were on the couch in Vegas I want to say. When we were watching a movie. I wanted you to kiss me."

"Oh believe me, sweetheart, I did too!" he exclaimed.

"Well why didn't you?" she teased.

"And why didn't you? We can do this all night, darling," he teased back.

"What about you? When did you know you wanted me?" she asked him in return.

"When Rose hit me on the head," he said simply.

"Come on, Ben," she slapped his arm lightly.

"I'm serious!" he said. "When you thought I was a thief, I was literally mesmerized by you."

"I was about to murder you," she deadpanned.

"Psh, like you could beat me in a fight," he smugly grinned.

"Give me a stick and I'll shut you up right now," she pretended to size him up.

"Okay, okay," he called truce. "I guess after that, I had moments too. But the most important one I remember was when you encouraged me to get my license. You were so excited for me that I got excited myself. Honestly, Rey. You're the reason I'm going to be a pilot."

"Well, it's the least I can do," she smiled lovingly at her husband. "You're the reason I learned to love again."

Ben and Rey decided to pop a bottle of wine and sip their drinks as Ben scooted himself closer to her at the end of their meal. He wished this moment would last forever - whispering sweet nothings in Rey's ear, smiling, hugging, and kissing her until the end of time.

"So," he began as he set his wine glass down to face Rey. "I have one more thing."

"Another surprise? Darling, you've done more than enough to surprise me tonight."

"Just one more, promise," he said to her. "I know we didn't have the most conventional wedding ever…" they chuckled.

"It doesn't matter. I got to marry you. That's all I need for it to be perfect."

"So I'm told," he smiled, remembering that Rose told him the same thing. "But I still want to give you my vows."

"Vows?" Rey was confused. "You already had a speech at the Cantina early."

Ben shook his head. "A wedding toast is one thing, but I want our vows to be shared between just us."

"Ben, I don't have anything prepared," Rey felt shy.

"It's alright, sweetheart. I already know how you feel about me. I want you to know just how much you mean to me."

"Oh well now I can't say no to that," she giggled. She kissed him on the cheek and allowed him to proceed.

"Okay here goes…" he took a deep breath and took a hold of both her hands. "I don't have much to promise you because I can't tell you everything will be okay. I can't tell you it'll always be stable for us either. I can't tell you I won't mess up, because I know I will. But there's one thing I do know for certain. I will love you until my dying day. I said this once and I'll say it again. I choose you, Rey. And I'll choose you all the time. Because you and I make sense. You and I are soulmates. We're stuck together. Our names may be 'Solo', but our hearts are now a duo. I love you Rey Andor Solo."

"Oh Ben," Rey tearily smiled. "I don't care about the stability, you're my rock. I don't need to worry about the future, because I have you. You'll mess up? I'll probably mess up more. But we'll always come back to each other. I'll never understand why you chose me, but I'm so happy you did. All I know is that with you I'll never be alone. You're my lighthouse, my happy place, my everything. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Rey. More than you know."

Rey didn't think that her life would ever amount to anything. Being a foster child, only having a family for five years, having her heart broken by a regrettable relationship. In fact, six months ago she would have never guessed she'd ever be happy again or be herself again. That all changed when she met Ben Solo. And she changed his life for the better as well. _Finally_ , they both thought. _Finally, they were together_.

They could certainly get used to this.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: STAY TUNED FOR AN EPILOGUE CHAPTER!
> 
> No preview because it's a surprise ;)
> 
> Okay not really a surprise, but I just didn't know what to use for a preview lol
> 
> Here's the title though: Epilogue (One Year Later; One Last Surprise)


	35. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We made it to the end, folks! It has been a pleasure sharing this story with you all. Enjoy :)

* * *

**~XXXV. Epilogue~**

_**~i. One Year Later~** _

"Papa is home!" Poe bellowed once he stepped foot in the echoing foyer.

"Do I even need to ask?" Kaydel looked at Rose as the women followed him inside.

"Just go with it, Kay. The man gives himself nicknames to stroke his ego," Rose rolled her eyes at her friend's behavior.

"I am so ready for my vacation to start!" Finn exclaimed when he walked inside the lobby with Hux.

"Rose, we're hitting the tables later!" Hux high-fived his gambling buddy.

"Where's Rey and Ben?" Rose asked.

"You mean the love birds?" Phasma stepped inside moments later. "They're coming. They won't stop with their stupid googly eyes," she rolled her eyes mockingly.

"Ben! Rey! Hurry up, you're slowing us down!" Poe hollered at the pair towing sluggishly behind the group.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch, Dameron. We're here," Ben dismissed his old friend.

He casually strolled up to the group with Rey tucked at his side in his arms. The couple had been non-stop smiling from the moment they stepped foot at the resort.

What a year it has been. Six months ago, Ben and Rey became 'officially official' as Poe would say. Their six-month probationary marriage blossomed into a real relationship (shocker) and the love birds scrapped any notions for their annulment. Rose and Poe had wondered if they should've gone through with the annulment so they could have a real wedding. Though Ben and Rey decided that their Vegas incident a year ago was the perfect way to start their unique relationship.

They spend the past six months with their relationship in the open, as it should've been from the start, and their friends couldn't have been any happier for them. In other news, Ben finally obtained his private pilot's license about a month before Christmas, and surprised Rey by taking her to destinations in the west coast for the holidays. Their plans to travel and see the world were still a goal, and slowly they've been planning for their next destinations. Rey's new director position gave her a mountain of work to do, but it was all worth it for her knowing she'd get to come home to a loving husband.

Now at the one-year anniversary of their 'crazy Vegas marriage', Leia surprised the couple with an all-expenses paid weekend back to Las Vegas with all their friends. Needless to say, everyone was excited for the shenanigans they'd have that weekend.

"So why aren't we staying at the Grand Hilton again? They've got the penthouse suite, remember?" Finn said to everyone.

Per Ben's directions, they parked at another hotel and had found themselves in a rather fancy lobby.

"Well one, Poe kind of has a history with the receptionist," Ben teased. They all knew what he was talking about and snickered at the former lady's man.

"I'm sorry, what?" Kaydel pretended to get upset.

"Babe, that was way before I met you, promise!" Poe fell to his knees and begged her to believe him.

"It's alright, babe. Just remember you're mine now," she giggled as she pretended to scold him.

"Yes. Yours, only yours!" Poe nodded in compliance.

"I don't think I've ever seen Poe Dameron cower in fear before," Rose chuckled.

"I guess you missed the time I put Poe in a headlock when we went to the courthouse the first time," Rey joked.

"I wasn't cowering in fear kiddo!" Poe defended.

"Then why were you begging me to stop? I do recall I was pressing your adams apple to the other side of your throat?"

Everyone burst into laughter by Rey's remark.

"Come on you guys," Hux tried to help him. "Wuss or not, if it weren't for Poe, we wouldn't have gotten that sweet room."

"Excuse me?!" Ben feigned indignation. "I do recall it was Poe _**and**_ I who got the room!"

"Actually, it was your mom that got it for us, bro," Poe joked.

They all laughed again.

"Regardless, we can't go back there anyways because it's overbooked," Ben said.

"Yeah well if we find strangers in our room again, Rey and I can take 'em," Rose winked at her best friend.

"That's not necessary because my mom hooked us up with an even better deal here," Ben smugly grinned.

"I don't know of anyone who is more proud to brag about using his mother's connections to get something," Phasma chuckled.

"Never thought I'd see the day either, babe," Hux said to his girlfriend.

"He is like my brother from another mother," Poe said proudly of his oldest friend.

"So, do we all get rooms here?" Rose wondered. This was a much fancier hotel with a much higher price tag. There was no way they'd be able to afford a suite.

"Well," Rey started, "Ben's mom wanted our anniversary to be extra special, and since you all are celebrating with us…" she and Ben looked at each other playfully.

"My god tell us already!" Poe whined.

"Not that fun when you pause for dramatic effect is it, Dameron?" Ben smirked.

They all laughed at Poe and Ben's bantering. Some things never change.

"We're staying here at the Venetian," Rey said.

"Sweet, your mom got us all separate rooms? That's so nice of her," Phasma said.

"Nope," Ben said with a punctuated pop of the 'p'.

"They've got a great top floor room here too. You know, with the four-bedroom chairman's suite," Rey raised the keycards in the air for everyone to ogle.

"Dude, I love your mom so much," Poe said excitedly.

They all laughed in agreement, hurrying to the elevators to head to the top floor.

~.~.~.~

"THIS IS WHERE WE'RE STAYING FOR THE WEEKEND?!"

If anyone ever wanted to know exactly how rich Leia Solo was, she barely spent a couple of bucks to book the Chairman Suite. This 8000 square foot, 4 bedroom, 24-hour butler service, personal limousine service, VIP privileged, private floor access… okay, you get it, right?

"A waterfall at the entrance? Fancy," Hux was impressed.

"Holy crap, do you see that view?!" Kaydel and Phasma rushed to the balcony.

"Guys, look! There's a baby grand in the living room!" Poe rushed over to the piano and started pressing the ivory keys.

"Poe stop, you don't even know how to play!" Rose swatted his arm to save everyone from the random pitches vibrating around the space.

"Oh hell yeah, fully stocked bar!" Finn wasted no time in pouring himself a drink.

"I think they like it," Ben chuckled and turned to his wife. He and Rey were standing at the foyer of the suite enjoying seeing the excitement from their friends.

"I would hope so," Rey giggled. "Your mother was so generous to do this for us, sweetheart. Thank you."

"Anything for our friends," he said. "And definitely anything for you, my love."

He leaned down to kiss his beautiful wife before being yanked by the arm not three seconds later by Poe.

"Dammit, Poe Dameron! Why must you interrupt me from kissing my husband!" Rey glared at her friend.

"Sorry, kiddo. But Ben! Dude! There's a workout room in the suite! Our own personal gym?! And it's got super sport equipment!"

Before Ben could say anything, he was already being dragged down the east corridor to said gym with the rest of the guys.

Rey giggled at the sight, rolling her eyes and walked over to where the ladies were standing at the balcony. The fresh air did her good as she was coming off a stressful week.

"Girl, can we come with you to all your anniversary trips?" Rose teased.

"That's a legit question, can we?" Kaydel joked along.

"I'm not sure all our trips will be as grand as this," Rey shared.

"True," Phasma agreed. "Plus, I love Ben and he's my best friend, but I don't need to be around his sexual frustration for not being able to shack up with Rey because we're always around."

Phasma, Kaydel and Rose laughed while Rey blushed madly.

"Sorry, we'll try to tone it back a little," she sheepishly chuckled.

"Rey, please. You two are in love. You went through so much this past year, you deserve to show affection," Kaydel said to her.

"Yeah, I mean thanks to you, Ben's not so uptight anymore. You've… relieved his stress for us," Phasma winked, nudging Rey's arm playfully.

"Oh hell, he did the same for Rey!" Rose and Phasma high-fived.

"Alright, I'm going inside. You ladies enjoy," she had to get away from the teasing.

While everyone continued to ogle at the stunning view and the amenities in the communal space, Rey wanted nothing more but to relax on one of the luscious beds in this suite before having to go out that evening. She found the master bedroom at the end of one of the corridors and opened the double doors to what was the most luxurious hotel room she had ever seen. But nothing excited her more – not the double vanity, walk in closet, huge mahogany writing table, suede couch, or the 70-inch TV – than that plush, California king mattress just waiting for her to sink her body into and fall asleep on a cloud.

As Ben would say, she leaped onto the made bed to give her stamp of approval, sighing happily atop the softest cushion she had ever felt. If she fell asleep all weekend and didn't wake up until they had to leave, she'd be alright with that.

"Excuse me."

She twisted her head to the door, seeing who had come in.

"Yes?" she wondered why Ben greeted her that way.

He was leaning on the doorframe, arms crossed and gazing at her.

"I think there's been a mix-up."

"A mix-up?" she grew worried for a bit. Seriously? Another hotel messed something up for them...

"Yeah," he nodded stiffly. "I booked this room. They may have glitched the system," he smirked.

That was all she needed to catch on. Matching his expression, she played along.

"I don't know. I'm pretty sure I booked this room," she played coy.

"Ah, well. When in Vegas, right?" he grinned as he walked over and plopped himself down next to her.

"I guess we can share the room if there's no other available," she playfully sighed.

"Sure. I don't mind having a roommate for the weekend," he winked at her.

"I'm not sure if my husband - who by the way has _impeccable_ taste - likes to share," she teased.

"No, he does not," he shook his head as he leaned forward.

He started to kiss her softly, immediately growing more passionate and he rolled on top of her, wasting no time in being affectionate with his wife.

"I'm coming in! Hope everyone's decent!" Poe hollered from the hallway.

Ben groaned, lifting himself up and tumbling to Rey's side, allowing Poe to step into their room.

"What now, Poe?!" Ben demanded.

"Geez Rey, are you not putting out every night? Your husband's crabby," Poe teased.

Rey threw one of the pillows at him.

"Get out dude!" Ben screamed at him.

"Alright, alright. I was just bringing your bags in here, sheesh." He placed their bags at the door and stepped back out. "Oh, and we're all going downstairs at 6, if you two rabbits care to step out of your love cave and join us!"

"We'll be there!" Rey said.

Poe shut the double doors to give them a bit of privacy.

"I kind of like the sound of a love cave," Ben smirked. "We can stay here all night and have just as much fun," he grinned.

She sat up a bit, still curled to his chest.

"As great as that sounds, we did come here with our friends."

"But it's our anniversary, Rey. Can't we do whatever we want?"

"We will. Don't worry, Ben. Trust me. Everyone splits up to do their own thing. That's how you and I got to spend alone time together last time, remember?"

"Fine, but one bar and then it's just you and me the rest of the trip."

"We'll see," she stuck her tongue at him.

They both got up and attended to their bags. Ben was pulling out his toiletries intending to take a quick shower when Rey appeared beside him hopping excitedly.

"Can I help you?" he said amusingly at her.

"I know we said we were going to wait 'til dinner, but I want to give you your gift!" she exclaimed. She revealed a small rectangular box from behind her back.

"Are you sure you want me to open it now?"

"Well, technically I got you two things. So… I still have something to give you later."

"Sweetheart, two things?! I thought we said we weren't going to spend so much on each other and put our money aside for travel?"

"Oh please," she dismissed him. "If I want to buy my man a couple things, I'm going to buy my man a couple things. Now open!"

"Fine," he gave in.

He placed his bag down and sat at the edge of the bed. Rey anxiously sat beside him as he teared the paper apart.

Ben chuckled at the gift. They were a pair of aviators. He opened the box and pulled out the metal frames, adjusting them in place and turned to Rey.

"How do I look?" he tried for a smoldering pose.

"Like a pilot," she smiled.

Ben kissed her sweetly and brought her to his lap. With him wrapping his arms around her waist and Rey digging her fingers in his hair, they continued to deepen the passion until they were forced to come back up for air.

"You know, it might have been a bad idea for me to buy you these sunglasses."

"Why? Do they not look good?" he took them off and inspected the frames.

"No," she giggled, placing it back over his eyes. "They look really good on you. Really sexy."

"Oh. Well, then I'm never taking these off," he smirked and kissed his wife some more.

~.~.~.~

Come 6 PM everyone made their way downstairs to the casino and perched at the bar for their first round of drinks.

"Here's to Leia Solo. For getting us this sweet deal at the Venetian so we can have a weekend of fun!" Poe exclaimed.

"Here, here!" Hux cheered following everyone else.

"Excuse me, I'd think you'd include Rey and me in that toast since you guys are all here for our one-year anniversary," Ben joked. "That's why my mom called in a favor in the first place!"

"He's right you know," Rose said.

"My apologies, buddy," Poe and everyone laughed. "Here's to Ben and Rey. If it weren't for their sexual attraction a year ago, getting blackout drunk and getting hitched, we all wouldn't be here today celebrating among friends like Kings!"

"And Queens!" Kaydel added.

"Here, here!" Finn said this time.

"Not the sweetest thing ever, but sure," Rey tossed her coaster at her best friend.

"Hey, this trip is just as deserving for us as it is for you guys too," Phasma said.

"How so?" Ben asked.

"You guys drove us all insane for the first six months because you two idiots were so stubborn!"

The ladies threw their coasters at Poe.

"What he means is, he's happy for you two," Kaydel said to save her boyfriend from further abuse. "We all are."

Once they settled from the harassment, Poe spoke up.

"How about this," he tried a third time. "To Ben and Rey. Who's love story taught us that love is a gamble but yields the greatest rewards."

They all smiled warmly at his sentiment.

"That's more like it, Dameron," Rey winked at her best friend, giving him a small hug.

"Seriously you guys. Can you believe it's been a year since we were last here? A year since you two woke up married," Finn exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's still so surreal how everything happened," Rey said.

"But I'm glad it happened," Ben said to his wife. The pair smiled at each other and started kissing.

"Eeeeep!"

_*Wolf-whistle*_

"Okay that's enough!"

"Please keep it PG!"

"Oh My Gawwwd I love it!"

"I need a drink!"

The couple broke from their kiss and laughed at their friends.

"I really don't appreciate all this hostility," Ben feigned hurt.

"Yeah, where's the love you guys? You've been cheering us on for six months. Then when Ben and I get together you guys hate it," Rey kidded.

"We don't hate it, girl," Kaydel said. "Maybe the guys do, but not us."

"That's 'cause you two are literally all over each other like all the time," Finn said.

"Yeah dude. Get a room!" Poe teased.

Poe and Hux agreed with the ladies laughed at them.

"Look at me, I'm a guy and I'm macho," Rose teased her boyfriend, Poe and Hux.

"All we're saying is the love birds should get a room when they start eating each other's faces," Hux defended the guys.

"Believe me, I want to get a room, but the missus here wants to be in public all the time, I can't help it," Ben joked with Rey.

"You're going to pay for that comment later, Ben Solo," Rey narrowed her eyes at her husband.

They all jabbed at Ben this time.

"Jokes aside. We really are happy that you two stayed together," Phasma said to them.

After their round of drinks, the group decided to try their luck at the casino for a bit. Naturally, the gambling trio went straight to the poker table to try and get lucky. Phasma, Kaydel and Finn sat at the slot machines with the kittens – only choosing those machines solely for the kittens. As for Rey and Ben, they got comfy at the Craps table.

"Seven!"

Per usual, Rey was on a hot streak. She was cleaning the table with her magic and couldn't be stopped. After her last successful toss, she was waiting for the dealer to slide the dice back to her. Before Rey could reach down for the pieces, Ben swooped in and snatched the red cubes from the velvet table.

"Excuse me?" she feigned shock.

"Yes?" he said casually.

"Those are my dice. Give it back, thief," she winked at him.

"And what if I don't?" he waggled his eyebrows.

"Well you're just going to have to roll a seven so I can forgive you then," she bopped his nose. "And you know, so everyone at this table doesn't mob you."

"Coming right up!" he exclaimed.

Ben confidently took in a deep breath, squeezed the dice in his hands and tossed them across the board.

"Seven!"

Everyone around the table cheered for him. Rey shook her head and giggled before giving her husband a peck on the lips.

"What are you a hot shot at Craps now?" she glared at him teasingly.

Well, I learned from the best," he smirked at her.

"Like I said, you're worth it," she smiled.

~.~.~.~

"So, who's ready to go bar hopping?!"

Poe managed to gather everyone back to the bar about an hour later.

"Seriously, Poe? Let's take it easy tonight," Rey suggested.

"Yeah maybe like one or two bars," Ben agreed.

"Aw come on you guys, it's Vegas! Sin City!"

"Yeah, exactly. It's Sin City."

"Oh, come on Ben. You guys know all about being crazy, letting loose and having fun!" he said to them.

"The man's got a point," Hux said to the couple.

"Are you really going to listen to mister tramp stamp over here?" Finn made the crowd laugh.

"So, everyone knows about that ink, huh?" Kaydel couldn't help but laugh at her boyfriend's expense.

"God please take me to a bar now and put alcohol in me!" Poe was about to die of embarrassment.

They all laughed at him.

"Come on, you guys. What do you say? You two already got married. There's nothing crazier you can do," Poe pointed out.

"Exactly, so me and Ben don't need to do all the bar hopping then," Rey argued.

"But it wouldn't be a whole group experience without you guys! Come on please, just a few bars and you two can go and be crazy kids in love for the rest of the weekend."

They were cornered. Everyone was waiting on them expectantly. Eventually they gave in. Damn peer pressure!

"Oh alright. Just a few bars, Poe," Ben agreed.

"Sweet! And besides, it's an unwritten rule that you always have to top your last bout of crazy whenever you come back to Vegas."

"Poe that's not a rule," Rose said to him.

"Hush!"

"Alright, alright we're already going out with you guys," Ben tried to settle the two.

"And I mean since Ben and I are the craziest of us all, we might as well show you guys how it's done."

"Oooohhh!" they all laughed at Rey's jab.

"Damn Ben, you got a wild one here," Poe teased his best friends.

They went to their next bar and just like before, after one round of shots everyone separated. Ben ordered drinks while Rey found a table for them to sit. After a moment, Ben walked up to Rey with a beer in hand and a cosmopolitan in the other.

"So, what's a pretty little English girl doing in Sin City?" he winked at her.

"Trying to have a wild off the books weekend," she stuck her tongue at him.

He chuckled at her response and gave her a quick peck on the lips. They sipped their beverages for a bit while Ben held her close as they people watched around them.

"Brings back memories, huh?" he said of the setting.

"Memories of you hitting on me?" she smirked.

"Hey, but I remembered everything you said," he defended.

"That you did," she smiled before taking a sip of her drink.

Ben polished his beer and set it on the table. Once more he glanced around, not sure what he wanted to do that night at the bar. He wasn't going to overdo it on the alcohol for sure; _definitely not_. But he and Rey didn't really feel like mingling with the others on the dance floor.

"Do you think Poe will get mad if we just ditch them right now?" he asked her.

She searched the room for their friends. Everyone seemed to be doing their own things and Poe was already in a keg contest. Of course he was. Rey laughed at that sight.

"Let's get out of here," she turned to him.

"Really?" Ben was surprised that Rey immediately agreed.

"Yeah, why not?" she said as she finished her drink and grabbed her clutch.

She held out her hand for Ben to take, the same way he did the first time they were in Vegas.

"You sure you want to ditch our friends?" he asked her one more time.

"Come on, Ben," she smiled. "Don't think. Just do."

He chuckled, grabbed her hand and followed her out the door.

True to Ben's love of pizza, he led Rey to the secret pizza joint he knew of at the Cosmopolitan. Impressed by the little hole in the wall, and even more impressed by the delicious food, Rey was happily enjoying her intimate time with her husband.

"So, can I give you your second gift now?" she said after finishing her last slice.

"I really didn't want you to get me two things, but there's no telling you to stop so why not?" he chuckled.

"See you know me so well, honey," she giggled and took out a small flat box from her clutch. "Happy anniversary!"

Ben once again grabbed the box and started to unwrap the paper. When he popped off the lid, inside was something he did not expect.

"Is this…?"

Rey knew what he was going to ask.

"Yup. It's a replica."

Remember how Ben was an Avengers fan? Well, Rey got him quite the gift, fitting for a pilot indeed. It was an antique compass similar to the one Steve Rogers (Captain America) had in the films. But instead of a photo of Rey (Steve had one of Peggy) inside the lid, there was an engraving.

 _ **Wherever you go, I will follow you. Always**_. _**-Rey**_

Ben was touched by her sentiment. He really didn't deserve such a thoughtful gift. He looked back at Rey and kissed her.

"So, you'll follow me to Texas, then?" he asked hopefully.

"What do you mean?" she smiled, albeit confused by his response.

He took that as a cue for his turn. Ben reached into his suit jacket pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

"Happy Anniversary, sweetheart."

Curious, Rey took the paper from his hand and unfolded the document.

"You're flying us to San Antonio?!" she grew wide-eyed.

Ben nodded, sipping his soda before responding. "I just finished the paperwork to get clearance for us to use a charter plane at my dad's airfield. I figured we already went up the west coast. Want to take my wife to eat some brisket in Texas for a weekend," he chuckled.

"That's got to be the most romantic thing you've ever said," she squealed. For the record, Rey was talking about the brisket part.

"So, what do you say? Our next adventure in two weeks in San Antonio."

"You don't have to bribe me with food, darling. Like I said, I'll follow you," she smiled into his kiss.

"I love you, Rey," he said tenderly. "I truly, passionately, deeply love you."

Ben caressed he cheek softly and smiled lovingly at his wife. Without a second thought, Rey got up and pulled him to the door.

"Are we leaving now?"

"Yup," she said and tugged him out into the hallway.

She pushed him up against the wall of records and planted a desperate kiss on him.

"I want to go back to the hotel," she demanded.

It was only 9 PM. They've stayed up later than this.

"Are you tired?" he wondered.

"No," she said non-chalantly. "I just want alone time with my baby."

Ben was confused by what she meant. Then again, he was really confused by her actions just now. They were already alone, separate from their friends. They could do whatever they wanted. What could she mean by- oh... _Baby_.

"Our love cave awaits, _baby_ ," he winked and grabbed her hand, rushing back to their suite.

_**~ii. One Last Surprise~** _

To say the least, Texas brisket won over any other brisket Rey had ever had. She loved the food. She enjoyed the atmosphere, the setting, hell even the plane ride over with Ben… but the food. She was in heaven. When they got back from their trip, she had to go straight to work and was busy for the next several weeks. Ben had noticed her fatigue and although she loved what she did at her job, he also knew the stress was getting to her. So, he suggested they take a weekend to drive up to Santa Barbara and spend the day at their lighthouse. Rey of course immediately agreed.

They spent a cool Sunday afternoon at the island, picnicking and people watching until sunset. Rey was still tired, Ben noticed, but she did smile and breathe in the fresh air which helped her de-stress a lot. By sunset, they lazily sat at the edge of the rocks where they first got together. Rey was wrapped cozily in Ben's arms as they both gazed at the painted sky.

"Hey Ben?" she broke the silence.

He looked down at her and kissed her forehead.

"Yes sweetheart?"

For some reason Rey began to fidget. She sat up a bit and turned to face him.

"You remember how Poe joked about when we were in Vegas last month that he teased we'd be going crazy again that night?"

"We didn't, right? Because I made sure to watch my alcohol intake and I do remember the best sex of my life that night with you," he winked.

"Likewise," she smirked and quickly pecked his lips. "Anyways, do you remember when I thought I had bronchitis right before Valentine's day and had to take a z-pack for a few weeks so we wouldn't miss the Vegas trip?"

"Yeah. Why, are you still not feeling well?" he suddenly grew concerned. That would explain her weariness.

"Well… yes and no," she drawled out.

"I'm not following you, Rey," he furrowed his brows.

Alright, she needed to sit up for this.

"I feel great. No more of that bronchitis… But I have been getting a tad of morning sickness."

"Okay?"

"So… I mean seriously, you and I are literally breaking all the records," she tried to lighten the situation.

"What are you talking about, sweetheart?" her nervously chuckled.

"Well, I mean you go to Vegas already married so there's not much you can get yourself into, right?"

"Right."

"Except… well… unprotected sex," she blurted.

Ben didn't understand yet or put the pieces together.

"What are you talking about, you're on the shot still aren't you?"

"Yes, but my z-pack messed with my hormones and pretty much weakened the effects of the shot for like a month."

"Wait…" then it suddenly clicked. "What?"

There's the reaction she was looking for.

"Ben," she took in a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

Minutes have passed and Ben was still in a bit of shock, he hadn't moved a muscle or blinked an eye since Rey's revelation.

"Darling? Hello?" Rey waved her hand in front of his face.

Still nothing.

So, she kissed his cheek.

Well that worked. It shook him from his paralysis, and he let go of a huge breath.

"So… yeah."

"You're pregnant," he wanted to clarify.

"Mhm."

"And…"

"If you're going to ask if it's yours, I'm going to smack you."

"Okay well, you're definitely pregnant with those hormones," he mumbled to himself.

She heard it though and smacked him anyways.

"Look, if you're being weird about this then fine. I'll deal with it myself. You can come to me when you're ready to be a father."

"Whoa."

"What?"

"It's just… I'm going to be a _father_."

This time a smile did creep up on Ben's face. A pure, gentle smile and Rey knew that everything was going to be OK.

"You're going to be a great father," she said to him.

He looked at her, almost wanting to cry.

"I love you so much, Rey."

"I know," she smiled.

They kissed briefly and he touched her belly, kissing her navel, whispering loving words to their unborn child. Rey was glowing with happiness.

Ben sat behind her and hugged his wife as they continued to watch the sunset at their lighthouse. Everything seemed blissful, until Rey heard a small sniffle. She looked up and noticed Ben had shed a couple tears.

"What's wrong? Are you not happy?"

"What are you saying of course I am!" he said to her. "You've given me the greatest things in life. Your love. Your hand in marriage. And now a child. I don't know how I can ever do anything or give you anything to show you how much I love you."

Great, now he was making Rey tear up!

"Just be with me," she smiled with a tearful grin.

He kissed the top of his wife's head and wiped her tears.

"Always."

~.~.~.~

**_Seven Months Later_ **

"And then someone yelled at me and I turned around and standing there was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. You're mama. She was beautiful I tell you, son. Even when she almost tried to murder me with a stick," he cooed at his newborn in his arms. "We ended up sharing a hotel room anyway because they messed up our rooms and your uncle Poe and I had to come to the rescue and fix everything. A couple of drinks in your mother that night and she practically threw herself at me. If there's one thing you should know son, is that we Solo boys have some strong genes," he winked at the innocent pair of eyes staring up at him.

"Darling, are you telling our son lies already? He's barely a day old!" Rey said from across the room.

"Sweetheart, I'm telling him the absolute truth," Ben walked over to his wife with their son in his arms. "You threw yourself at me and you know it."

"But that doesn't mean I tried to make the first move," she stuck her tongue at him. "As I recall, weren't you in Vegas to hit on cute English girls?" she smirked at her husband.

"That I was," he winked. "And it worked didn't it?"

"Yes, it did. So technically that means you hit on me first. And you threw yourself at me just as much as I did, "she giggled.

"Okay you got me there," he leaned over and pecked his wife on the lips. Then he looked down at their newborn. "You see that, son? We Solo men know how to sweet talk the ladies."

"Alright, that's enough," Rey rolled her eyes. "Give him to me. I don't need him to be a heartbreaker this early in his life. Besides, your daughter wants some daddy time too."

"Oh, well I won't say no to that!" Ben happily handed his son over to Rey in exchange for his daughter. "Come here, princess."

He took his daughter into his arms and smiled deeply at her hazel eyes – just like Rey's. She was a spitting image of his beautiful wife.

"Now, let me tell you about the time your mama caused an impromptu food fight when we were making dinner for your uncle Hux…"

"Ben! Stop lying to our children!"

That's right, Ben and Rey ended up having twins. Leia had a premonition about it too. She mentioned that twins ran in her mother's side of the family – Padme's mother was a twin. She had told them that the genes skipped generations and she was almost certain that Rey and Ben would have twins. And they sure did. When they learned that they were having twins, the couple decided to keep their genders a surprise. They thought of plenty of names, a good amount for each one, but settled on two and were lucky enough to end up with a boy and a girl.

They named their son Jack, after Ben's favorite baseball player (Jackie Robinson). Ben teased Rey the many times she felt kicking that they had a future all-star in her belly and hoped his child would find a love for the sport as much as he did. As for a girl's name? One morning Rey was enjoying a poppy seed bagel when she felt a kick in her belly for the very first time. She laughed, telling Ben that whichever kid was in there that did it, they must have the same huge appetite as their mother. Thus, Rey suggested that they name their daughter Poppy.

It was a whirlwind of a year for Ben and Rey. Once they professed their love and officially acknowledged not only their marriage but their relationship, they were attached to the hip. And with their Vegas incident (again) leading to the best 'surprise' they've ever had – the twins.

As for the rest of the gang? Eventually, Finn learned enough Vietnamese to propose to Rose with her father's blessing. They were having their wedding in a couple months. Phasma got a full time position being the in-house photographer at Skywalker Enterprises. Hux was planning to propose to her soon. Poe hung up his bachelor days and was stronger than ever with Kaydel. In fact, they moved in together shortly after the Vegas weekend. Now Poe's newest job, which he took very seriously, was to be the best darn uncle for Jack and Poppy - the result of his two best friends' pure love. Han and Leia of course were overjoyed to have little ones to spoil again.

"Just remember, baby girl, that you are capable of doing amazing things. Your mama, grandma and great grandma are the strongest women I've ever met. You're so lucky to be a part of this family, Poppy," he told his daughter.

"And you, Jack Benjamin Solo," Rey said to her son. "You are going to be the best person you can be. Your father and I will love you and your sister no matter what dreams you want to pursue. Just remember to do whatever makes you happy."

Ben sat at the hospital bed, bringing his daughter to rest on Rey's other arm. He stared adoringly at his family – his two beautiful children who inherited the hazel eyes of his wife and the soft black hair of his own. And Rey. The love of his life. His everything. After a life of being dealt bad cards, he drew the luckiest hand.

"We can't wait to take you both to see the world," Rey cooed at her babies nestled in her arms.

"Except Vegas, kids. Because although we love you both to pieces - and that place was what brought your mother and I together - it's a place of bad choices, booze and a whole lot of crazy," Ben informed the doe-eyed infants.

"Yeah, that's what your uncle Poe is for anyways. So no need to drive to Nevada just for that," Rey teased, smirking at her husband.

She and Ben shared a tender kiss and he sat beside her, embracing his wife as she held their progeny safely in her arms.

_They could surely get used to this._

After their second trip to Sin City together on their one year anniversary and learning that they were pregnant, Ben and Rey made a promise never to go back to Las Vegas ever again. It was hard at first, what with Poe and all their friends trying so hard to get them to go out on free weekends when the twins were with Han and Leia. But the happy couple decided they didn't need to go away for a weekend to have fun, be intimate and be together. They could have that anywhere.

They got lucky; they really did. That serendipitous moment when they met and the morning after changed their lives forever and for the better because they found one another. Rey would bet on Ben and Ben would go all in for Rey. And they would always win.

But their luck in Vegas was a whole other ballgame that always followed with repercussions.

Because apparently for Ben and Rey, what happens in Vegas _never_ stays in Vegas!

**_The End_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: TL;DR Basically, thank you :)
> 
> Not too shabby, eh?
> 
> First, I want to thank you for sticking around and giving this story a chance! There are surely other great stories and way better writers on here, so taking your time to read the work of a simple mind like me is much appreciated. The movie with the same name is one of my favorites and I had fun plugging in these lovable characters to a story of my own.
> 
> Second, thank you for the feedback - whether it was to subscribe, bookmark, or comment, I truly appreciate it.
> 
> Third, I think I mentioned first chapter that I'm coming from fanfiction.net and this is my first time publishing on ao3. I've got a bunch of other stories already published there that I will be publishing here so... stay tuned? Also, if you're on twitter come find me!
> 
> Lastly, because of quarantine I returned to writing fanfiction to pass time and found my love for playing out stories again (although I already do that for my day job lol). I first joined ff back in college during a rough time when I needed an escape from the noise. What got me through it was the people I met/interacted with here. I call it 'semi-anonymous socializing'. Pretty fitting, right? Not everyone reads ff or understands it, but it's a nice outlet for those of us who appreciate it. And I love the support we have for each other.
> 
> This online community that you build is surrounded by people who 'get you' and don't judge you at all, whereas sometimes the people in the real world just don't fathom your love for a work of fiction the same way.
> 
> That's semi-anonymous socializing for you :)
> 
> As always, thank you for reading!
> 
> Until next time,  
> -ThoughtsInMyMind


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